Times of the Islands Summer 2024

sitting in the business licensing office in Providenciales.
“So, it’s a retail license you were denied?” a friendly and
sympathetic official questioned. “What exactly is your
intended business?” After I clarified that a fine arts gallery
wasn’t akin to a typical retail shop, her gaze lifted, a
smile curled, and she declared, “Alright, let’s categorise
this one as miscellaneous.”
With my “miscellaneous” business license and work
permit in hand, the Bamboo Gallery threw open its
doors in April 1990 at The Market Place. The ensuing
14 years were a symphony of bliss. The art business is
my confessed love. It intertwined my days with not only
intriguing, imaginative souls—the artists—but also with
clients whose penchant for art made them a delight
to interact with. The art shows hosted by the Bamboo
Gallery in the 1990s became synonymous with “must-attend,”
showcasing local and quality Haitian art, and as
time unfurled, pieces from as far as Africa and South
America were included.
Ultimately, my persistent refusal to acknowledge the
inevitable shift of business activity to the Grace Bay area
led to the downfall of the Bamboo Gallery. By the time I
recognised this transition, numerous other galleries had
emerged, dominating the art scene with their “Grace Bay
Beachscapes.” A change was imperative and so it was
time to relinquish the Caicos and venture towards the
Turks Islands.
A new chapter—TDB Fine Arts
In the spring of 2021, during a conversation with a
friend in the nation’s capital the idea was casually suggested:
“Why not open an art gallery on Grand Turk?” We
were exchanging stories about how the pandemic had
impacted our businesses; for me, the 2020 shutdown had
been nothing short of devastating. It was time for a fresh
start and the notion of re-entering the art business had
been lingering in my mind. Between 2021 and 2023, I
embarked on a journey to turn this idea into reality. I
forged relationships with new artists, re-established connections
with old ones, reached out to collectors and art
publishers, and scouted for a location for the new gallery.
By the summer of 2023, I thought that the perfect
space for a gallery had been found, a spacious gallery
that could effortlessly host anywhere between 50 to 80
masterpieces at any given moment. The location, while
not a masterpiece itself, appeared sufficiently promising
and so I set my sights on an opening slated for November
1, 2023.
But as the legendary John Lennon once quipped, “Life
Dwight Outten and Titus de Boer share a light moment critiquing the
artist’s “Caicos Chronicles” series.
is what happens while you are busy making other plans.”
And indeed, life had quite the comedic plot twist in store
for our Grand Turk gallery. Just when we were ready to
unveil our creation, life chortled and threw us a googly
(a curveball for non-cricketers) that would make any seasoned
bowler jealous. Not only had the lease conditions
for our chosen venue gone from “fair” to “suboptimal,”
but it turned out that our unit was as mouldy as a fine
wedge of Roquefort cheese. A quick reality check forced
us into an artful escape act—we needed a new location,
and we needed it yesterday.
When life throws you a googly, staying optimistic
becomes a challenge. The simple fact was that we found
ourselves in a situation where we had a collection of
paintings ready to go on walls but no gallery space to call
our own. To provide context to those unfamiliar with the
nation’s capital, retail space isn’t exactly abundant here,
a fact confirmed by calls to several friends and associates.
Then one morning as I engaged in a casual conversation
with an acquaintance in Grand Turk, he turned to me
and suggested, “Why don’t you consider moving into the
museum? We have a small space in there that could be
perfect for showcasing art—though I must warn you it is
Times of the Islands Summer 2024 41