Harold B. Banks

In this dreamlike seascape, Capt. Harold B. Banks blurs memory and imagination. A giant tiger shark dominates the water, while fishermen in catboats haul in turtles, as an airplane flies overhead. The inclusion of an airplane may link back to an earlier moment in Banks’ career when he was offered to train to be the first Caymanian pilot in the 1960s, which he ultimately declined in favour of his seafaring career, adding an element of personalisation and nostalgia to the narrative. An empty catboat looms at the lefthand side of the canvas, ominously suggesting an incident has already occurred between the shark and fishermen. Long fishing lines hint at an attempt to catch the shark, suggesting the danger it poses, and black dots along the body of the shark could be interpreted as puncture wounds from past attempts to capture the animal, further enhancing its strength and threat. With bold scale and a flat perspective, Banks captures the tension of the scene, as if recalling a moment that holds a lasting emotional impact.