Art in Aruba

Aruba’s art scene is eclectic and evolving, with lots of multimedia artists as well as traditional painters who work in oils, like Elvis Tromp. You’ll see lots of interesting mediums scattered around the island in outdoor art as well, like the mirrored ceramic sculptures at the airport art garden, and the boardwalks of the new Linear Park will be prime real estate for the island’s creative types to showcase their works.

One local talent has created a new kind of art hybrid recently. Her name is Elisa Lejuez Peters, and she is fast becoming one of Aruba’s best-known artists. Her signature works of "neo-pop" art, inspired by her studies in fashion and textiles, have become wearable with the creation of her new line of avant-garde clothing. Her artwork has also been shown in New York, and no doubt you’ll recognize her signature style gracing the walls of many major hotels, restaurants, and public buildings.

Another avant-garde Aruban artist is sculptor Gilbert Senchi, whose massive iron installations and offbeat works have been commissioned by the government to enhance public spaces and to give as gifts to the Dutch royal family. Then there is up-and-coming young artist Armando Goedgedrag, whose work as a multimedia specialist—photos and video—plus his impressive talent as a painter is also becoming well known. He’s an avid surfer, and his photos and paintings of Aruba’s wildest waves are making waves of their own. He also does wonderful portraits of Aruba’s new national animal symbol, the "Shoco," bird, and presented one of his paintings of them to Dutch astronaut Andre Kuipers as a gift.

As far as where you can go to see or purchase art, Aruba has a few small galleries, but the art scene is really more of a revolving series of community exhibitions and shows or classes in artists’ residences like Ciro and Marian Abath’s home workshop, where they invite guests to come and learn to work in glass, ceramic, and bronze.

And you never know when an art show might just pop up—literally. The pop-up art show series in downtown Oranjestad has groups of artists turning an empty street into an outdoor gallery right before your eyes, and then dismantling it the next day. Most of the big annual outdoor musical events and festivals also have makeshift art exhibit areas and made-in-Aruba crafts for sale.

But there is one new spot where you can always see Aruban art: a permanent collection at UNOCA—Aruba’s first national gallery—is always on display. They have rotating exhibits of local and international artists as well. You will find the UNOCA building in downtown Oranjestad a few blocks from Cas di Cultura, which also has occasional art shows.