Celebrating the Anniversary of the Museum of Belize with Pen Cayetano

In tonight’s episode of Kolcha Tuesday, we’ll take you on a journey into an exhibit at the Museum of Belize. It features one of Belize’s most prolific cultural icons, known for multiple aspects of the creative arts, including music and painting. Pen Cayetano’s artwork can be found across the country and overseas. And tonight, we take him into your homes as we toured The Art of Pen Cayetano, a three-week exhibit celebrating the twenty-first anniversary of the Museum of Belize. News Five’s Duane Moody reports.

Pen Cayetano

Pen Cayetano, Artist

“To see all these paintings at one spot here, I think it is the biggest exhibition ever had in Belize. I think it’s an exhibition that is supposed stay a little longer here in this museum. I love it.”

Duane Moody, Reporting

He is no stranger to the creative arts. Still, on Sunday, an art exhibit was launched at the Museum of Belize to celebrate its twenty-first anniversary. Curator Ilona Smiling speaks about the Art of Pen Cayetano Exhibit as the museum reopens to the public.

Ilona Smiling

Ilona Smiling, Curator, Museum of Belize

“Pen is a master in documenting his heritage and his experience.  Growing up down south and being a part of the Garifuna community, you find that in a lot of his paintings. One of the areas that we find is the most popular is the room that is the room that is dedicated to cassava making. His artwork details each step and again, from all the artworks that you find in here that’s why we made it a point to make sure that we have background information so that the audience can connect the historical significance with the pieces that they are seeing.”

An icon in the creative arts industry, Cayetano reflects on the collection of paintings and the inspiration that went into the seventy-five pieces chosen for this exhibit and brought in from Germany.

Pen Cayetano

“It’s a great experience passing through the paintings that I haven’t seen for many years and then explain to the people. I was very happy that they can grasp some of the ideas I give to them off this painting. These paintings are very important for Belize too. It has been my life to portray my heritage in these paintings because ever since I started to paint. And then I say, if this is the way I am going to paint, the people I love to paint them. So my painting for me it’s my inspiration. No favourites. All the paintings I’ve done is from my hands, I feel good about them and all of them are my favourite piece; .every jack one of them.”

UNESCO has worked in Belize to preserve the intangible Garifuna cultural heritage by promoting its language and music. Cayetano is doing just that through his painting and music, which he says he will do until he dies.

Pen Cayetano

“What I am doing right now, I am still painting. I’m still playing music and I won’t stop playing and painting until the day I die. This is the best thing I can do; is to paint and play music. I feel so good about this exhibition here and everything. These paintings will be preserving this culture for many, many years.”

This priceless exhibit will be featured at the Museum of Belize for the next six months. Duane Moody for News Five.

The Art of Pen Exhibit joins the Enslaved Exhibition, which details the rise and fall of slavery in Belize and the Birds of Belize Exhibit. Two other exhibits will be created within the next twelve months to be installed at the museum.