The Paintings of Derek Walcott

Before Derek Walcott established a career as a poet, he trained as a painter. Although his work as a visual artist was quickly eclipsed by his success as a writer, Walcott returned to watercolors late in his career. The Alley’s production of The Odyssey took inspiration from Walcott’s paintings, which depict colorful Caribbean landscapes, maritime scenes, and figures in domestic situations. Much like Walcott’s writing, these paintings juxtapose Mediterranean and Caribbean culture in a way that brings attention to the profound influence of colonialism on the Caribbean islands.