press releases

Port of Spain, Trinidad—Sagicor is pleased to partner with the Port of Spain City Corporation and the Mayor’s Office who collaborated with Michelle Hart of Savvy Solutions to debut FIRST: A drive-thru Art Exhibition in the Capital City of Port of Spain.

Hart said, “Banners were strung across the streets of Port of Spain, depicting visual art by some of Trinidad and Tobago’s leading and upcoming artists based both locally and abroad and sponsored by corporate entities who saw the value of arts in the diversification of the economy, its importance on the psyche of our community and the all-rounded educational development of our youth.”

Sagicor has sponsored two art pieces, one from the Chosen Hands Art and Wellness programme and their collaboration with the St Jude’s School for Girls, and the other by Gail Pantin.

Anika Plowden-Corentin, Creative Director at Chosen Hands, said, “The six pieces that became the series Float, Fly Fearlessly…and then Evolve, were forged out of the experiences the artists had because of COVID-19 and what they imagine a post-COVID world will look like. One child said her piece depicted how she wanted the world to see her, ‘free to express her innermost thoughts of holding on to a future of hope in spite of her personal challenges’. Hope is what weaves all these pieces together.”

Gail Pantin has lived throughout the Caribbean, Canada, and southeast Asia, and her art reflects her personal journey and experiences. Pantin, when explaining her series Bele Dancers, said, “One of my favourite subjects is people. The connection between art and people has existed forever and with my painting of the Tobago dancers, I combine the rhythm of the dance along with the strong character of the dancer.”

The idea first came to Hart about three years ago, after seeing a similar art exhibition in the streets of London. Now, with events coming to a standstill due to COVID-19, Hart finally found the time to coordinate the exhibition with the City Corporation.

Wendy Perreira-Aqui, a director at the Art Society of Trinidad and Tobago, curated the pieces and the installations began to appear along Ariapita Avenue at the end of the Christmas season, becoming the first outdoor drive-thru art exhibition in Port of Spain.

The Sagicor-sponsored banners are located along Tragarete Road, near the Queen’s Park Oval and the other near Maraval Road. The exhibition has been extended and will run until the end of February.

Gail Pantin’s Bele Dancers can be found on Tragarete Road, near
the Queen’s Park Oval. Pantin combines “the rhythm of the dance
along with the strong character of the dancer”.

The Chosen Hands banner, located on Tragarete Road, near to
Maraval Road, depicts six pieces by students at the St Jude’s
School for Girls titled Float, Fly Fearlessly…and then Evolve,
and symbolises their hope for the future, despite fear, stigma
and challenges.