ATABEY #5

Ramel Jasir

Medium: Acrylic on canvas

Dimensions: 30 × 30 in (76.2 × 76.2 cm)

Year: 2023

ATABEY #5 is a striking 30 x 30 inch acrylic painting on canvas by contemporary artist Ramel Jasir, created in 2023. Inspired by the enduring legacy of Atabey, one of the most revered spiritual figures in Taíno cosmology, this work is both a celebration of Indigenous Caribbean heritage and a meditation on the sacred relationship between humanity, nature, and the forces that sustain life.

Within Taíno tradition, Atabey is understood as the primordial mother—the life-giving spiritual presence associated with fresh water, fertility, childbirth, healing, and the regenerative power of the natural world. Rather than portraying her as a deity in the classical Western sense, Jasir embraces the Taíno understanding of Atabey as a sacred ancestral force whose presence flows through creation itself. The painting becomes less a portrait of a single being than a symbolic embodiment of balance, nourishment, protection, and renewal.

The central figure radiates quiet authority, framed by luminous geometric forms and surrounded by an intricate constellation of hand-painted dots and flowing organic patterns. Every section of the painting reveals extraordinary craftsmanship, with countless individual marks creating miniature abstract compositions within the larger work. These intricate passages invite prolonged observation and symbolize the interconnectedness of all living things. Like rivers feeding oceans or roots nourishing forests, every seemingly independent detail contributes to a greater, unified whole.

The vibrant palette further reinforces the painting’s symbolic language. Brilliant blues evoke the life-giving presence of water, while greens speak to growth, fertility, and abundance. Warm oranges, yellows, and earth tones reference the vitality of the sun, the richness of the land, and the enduring connection between humanity and the natural environment. Together, these colors create a visual harmony that reflects the Taíno understanding that life flourishes through balance rather than domination.