National Gallery Cayman Islands

Thatched

I became a piece of thatch work during the summer of 2015. Strands of my life were being thatched-woven together; art educator, photographer and visiting artist at the National Gallery of the Cayman Islands. Thatch is traditionally woven by women of the Cayman Islands using the fronds from the silver palm tree. At first meant for utilitarian purposes, it later became a source of income for these women.

Before I left for the Cayman Islands, I chose to work with anthotype photography. Little did I know how appropriate this choice was and the strong connection to be made with Caymanian aesthetics and culture; their love of the environment and concern for its continuing beauty, color and bountiful existence. Anthotypes are considered an alternative and environmentaly friendly photographic process.

The flowers and leaves of plants are crushed. A splash of denatured alcohol is added to extract chlorophyll. This mixture is strained and applied to watercolor paper. An object is placed on the emulsion and exposed to the sun.

The sun bleaches the exposed area of emulsion leaving an imprint of the object.

Tourist Tree (Red Birch Tree).jpeg

The red bark of the tree peels as does the skin of a sunburned tourist.

Silver Palm Tree.jpeg

Women cut the center leaves of the Silver Palm tree in the evening of a full moon. They then dry and separate the fronds into thin strips and weave. This is called thatch. The thatch process is used to create utilitarian objects such as baskets and hats. Rope for the ships coming to island was also made from the silver palm fronds.

Seaweed.jpeg

Collected at Spotts Cemetary Beach as it washed ashore.

Tourist Tree (Red Birch Tree).jpeg

The red bark of the tree peels as does the skin of a sunburned tourist.

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