SANDRA L BLOOD
mindup.slblood@gmail.com
Through its Artist Discovery Program (ADP), Royal Caribbean International (RCI) launched a search in March for artwork to bring the Caribbean spirit to life on its newest cruise ship–Icon of the Seas.
The vessel is currently docked in Cadiz, Spain, where finishing touches are being done in preparation for its maiden voyage on January 27, 2024, from PortMiami in the United States.
CEO and president Michael Bayley explained that the Caribbean is where RCT got their start more than 50 years ago, so it is only fitting to begin its search with artists from the Caribbean.
For the project, Caribbean artists were commissioned to paint nine large-scale murals in three highly visible locations: the Royal Promenade Neighbourhood, the Icon’s main entrance, and the Suite Neighbourhood.
T&T artist Jason Hospedales was made aware of the competition by his neighbour Charles Carvalho, founder of T&T Sightseeing Tours. Hospedales said the notice came at a very crucial time of his life, and he is very grateful.
“I was the very first artist from the Caribbean to submit work, and I feel honoured to have impressed the Royal Caribbean team especially as their CEO told me that they liked my work and bio very much,” he said.
The opportunity was timely as he had just finished his fourth solo exhibition, Gender.
Hospedales said he was one of two Caribbean winners among the artists worldwide on the project. The other is Haiti’s Philippe Dodard.
He is being assisted with his mural, I Am In You, You Are In Me, by his wife, Alison Suzette Sampath, and visual artist Nicole Tang.
Cascade-born Hospedales, who counts among his mentors Corensa Osuna, Makemba Kunle, and LeRoy Clarke, said, “My canvas was my soul, the various forms, an outpouring of my intrinsic spirit. Carnival arts and the echoes of the Middle Passage found resonance in my work, stitching together the tapestry of heritage.”
A multimedia artist, he creates his artwork from paper, cement, clay, paint, wire and other materials, crafting textured layers into colourful creations.
“Many of my group exhibitions bear testament to my prowess. Apart from four solo shows in 2017, 2019, 2021 and this year, my artistic pilgrimage bridges cultures, mends fractures, and weaves bonds. In my creations, I celebrate roots, conjure unity, and paint bridges across time,” he said.
Icon of the Seas is the world’s largest and most advanced cruise ship to date with a capacity for 7,600 passengers and a crew of 2,350.