Gallery Talk: Rafael Trelles in Conversation with Gerard Houghton

The discussion will offer insights into Trelles’ distinctive artistic practice and the ideas informing his paintings. Drawing on works featured in the exhibition, Trelles will explore the Caribbean culture that shapes his work, alongside the inspirations and concerns which underpin his current practice. Known for his dreamlike, magico-mythical paintings, Trelles creates richly layered worlds where light, shadow, flora and fauna converge. At the heart of the exhibition is Caliban, the island’s original inhabitant in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, whose land and freedom are seized by Prospero. Trelles reimagines Caliban as a figure of dignity, resilience and agency rather than a ‘savage’ to be controlled. The talk connects Caribbean colonial history with contemporary questions of identity, migration, racism and cultural displacement, offering a poetic meditation on land, memory and the right to define one’s own story. Places are limited and advance registration is recommended. The conversation will take place on the ground floor of October Gallery.