More than 200 guests gathered at the historic Mille Fleurs mansion in Port of Spain on June 9 for a special exhibition celebrating some of Trinidad and Tobago’s most influential visual artists.

National Icons of Art: Inner Sanctum offered a rare look beyond the artwork itself, focusing on the artists behind the creations and the personal journeys, routines and inspirations that have shaped their work over decades.

The one-night exhibition featured a series of black-and-white portraits by photographer Richard Acosta, capturing the artists in their own creative environments and highlighting the spaces where their ideas and works come to life.

Acosta, a graduate of the School of Visual Arts in New York, said the project was created to recognise artists who have helped preserve and document Trinidad and Tobago’s cultural story through their work.

“These artists have spent their lives documenting who we are as a people. With Inner Sanctum, I wanted to turn the camera around and let the nation finally see them — their faces, their hands, the quiet spaces where the work is born,” he said.

The portraits were produced using a medium-format camera and presented in unretouched black and white. Acosta spent time with each artist, combining photography with conversations about their creative processes and experiences.

The exhibition featured several prominent figures from Trinidad and Tobago’s art community, including Jackie Hinkson, Che Lovelace, Karen Sylvester, Shalini Seereeram, Tessa Alexander, Makemba Kunle, Shastri Maharaj, Edward Bowen, Carlisle Harris, Dean Arlen, Anthony Timothy, Peter Sheppard and Ramon Navarro.

It also paid tribute to artists who have died, including LeRoy Clarke, Lisa O’Connor and Dermot Louison, whose contributions remain part of the country’s cultural legacy.

Veteran artist Makemba Kunle described the event as a meaningful recognition of the role artists play in society.

“This was one of the most meaningful experiences for me in a while. Hats off to you and your team,” he said.

Organisers said the response has led to plans to expand the initiative, with possible future exhibitions being considered in other parts of Trinidad and Tobago and internationally.