Mango Tango Art Gallery in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, is opening a commemorative exhibition titled “Gone but Not Forgotten” on Saturday, November 22, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. The show honors three beloved local artists—Kathy Carlson, Max Johnson, and Smokey Pratt—whose lives and works shaped the Caribbean art scene. The evening will feature live music by Neko Crush, appetizers, and spirits. Carlson and Johnson, both East Coast natives who studied at the Art Students League of New York, created lush floral paintings and portraits inspired by their Caribbean travels. Johnson also painted New England landscapes. Carlson was a respected educator who taught math at Antilles High School, while Johnson had a career in advertising at J. Walter Thompson. Pratt, a chef, musician, and gallery co-owner, contributed humorous cartoons and played in the blues duo 2 Blue Shoes. The exhibition runs for one month.
This exhibition matters because it celebrates the enduring creative legacies of three artists who helped define the visual culture of the Virgin Islands, a region often underrepresented in mainstream art coverage. By bringing together their distinct practices—painting, cartooning, and music—the show underscores the importance of community-based memorials in preserving local art history. It also highlights the role of small galleries like Mango Tango in sustaining artistic memory and fostering cultural continuity in island communities.