Historic 3D Sculptural Mural “Expressions of Our Nation” Unveiled at Peace Memorial Hall
A groundbreaking 3D sculptural mural titled “Expressions of Our Nation” was officially unveiled at the Peace Memorial Hall, marking a historic milestone for visual arts and cultural heritage in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Spearheaded by Lead Designer and Artist Shenique Stewart, the Visual Arts Development Officer in the Ministry of Youth, Sports, Culture, and Creative Industries, the piece is celebrated as the country’s first large-scale sculptural mural. Crafted from cement and mixed media, the artwork serves as a vibrant tribute to the nation’s creative arts, encompassing drama, dance, visual arts, music, and storytelling.
A recurring theme of the unveiling ceremony was the need to “trust the process”. Justinta Edwards, Manager of the Peace Memorial Hall, admitted her initial hesitation upon returning from vacation to see chipped concrete and the rough early stages of the wall’s construction. After sharing her concerns, Stewart softly advised her to “trust the process,” leading to what Edwards now proudly describes as an “extraordinary masterpiece” and a “truly historic occasion”.
Senior artist Donnie Collins, who collaborated on the project despite having no prior mural experience, echoed this sentiment. Collins noted that the project pushed the creative team out of their comfort zones, allowing them to capture the raw nature of the nation’s culture directly on a public wall—much like the indigenous Caribs, Arawaks, and African ancestors once did. The collaborative artistic team also prominently featured junior artists Janiah Francis, Raj Ash, and Abigail, alongside masons Vanney Richards and Darren Hannibal.
In her address, Stewart emphasized that public art has the power to shift the narrative of visual arts from being an undervalued accessory to becoming a central driver of sustainable development, economic activity, and tourism. “We aim to produce art that is memorable, purposeful, strategic, and economically beneficial,” Stewart declared, asserting that the mural is the spark of a larger movement towards nation-building through art.
During the event, the artwork was vividly described as a living, unfolding story of the Vincentian people. The highly detailed mural features several powerful cultural symbols, including:
- African women acting as the guardians of origins and ancestry.
- A reimagined Peace Memorial Hall, representing a colonial structure reclaimed by the people as a hub for creativity.
- Traditional drummers, dancers, and masqueraders capturing the dynamic rhythms of island life.
- The breadfruit tree, symbolizing survival, adaptation, resilience, and inner cultural grounding.
- The Amazon parrot, the national bird, representing freedom of voice and expression.
Government officials in attendance, including the Honorable Shevern John, Minister of Social Welfare and National Heritage, and Maxine Brown, Director of Culture, praised the mural for transforming a once-dull concrete wall into an interactive, visually stunning educational space. Minister John noted that such projects are essential because when a nation invests in its artists, it “invests in the soul of our nation”.
The ceremony concluded with an open invitation for the public to visit the Peace Memorial Hall, engage with the new mural, and reflect on the enduring, continuously evolving creative spirit of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.