The late Trinbagonian art curator Mark Pereira at his 101 Art Gallery studio in Port of Spain, Trinidad. Pereira was killed on December 19, 2022. Photo courtesy Susan de Gannes, used with permission. On the evening of December 19, news began to be shared via WhatsApp that prominent Trinbagonian art dealer and gallery owner Mark Pereira had been shot and killed at his holiday home in Blanchissuese, a village on Trinidad's scenic north coast. Local news outlets were soon reporting that Pereira had been murdered during an attempted robbery. Members of the local art community were devastated at the loss, with The Art Society of Trinidad & Tobago posting on its Facebook page: Mark was a long standing friend and supporter of the Art Society. […] His Gallery, 101, recently became the first Commercial Member of the Art Society as we launched a new campaign to breathe new life into the society by collaborating with corporate partners. [The] entire Visual Art Community mourns his passing. We will miss his presence, which was always accompanied with a sophisticated flair. Mark was always generous with his wisdom which contributed significantly to the promotion and development of visual art in Trinidad and Tobago. Thank you for your service Mark. The thread was filled with comments about Pereira's support for budding artists. Facebook user Jacqueline Quamina lamented the “tragic, unnecessary loss,” and art enthusiast Vicki Assevero added: We will miss your wonderful witty and mischievous presence. You taught so many of us how to ‘see’ more deeply and to appreciate the special energy of artistic creation. Pereira's life had been, in a myriad of ways, dedicated to that energy. Born in Trinidad in 1955 to a Trinidadian father and a Grenadian mother, he moved with his family at the tender age of seven to live in South Africa, where his father, a pilot, had got a job. He was one of five children, but Pereira suffered a hard blow at 12 when his father died suddenly. Seven years later, in 1975, Pereira began a two-year stint of national service in the South African navy, where he was promoted to the rank of Able Seaman and did active duty off Angola in 1976. He spent the next few years travelling extensively, but eventually returned to Trinidad in 1978. At first, he held down a sales manager job, then started a business supplying plants to corporate offices, restaurants and other businesses. By 1980, however, as he began researching documents related to Caribbean art and history, he discovered his true calling. As his interest grew, he began exhibiting the works of local artists, with some noteworthy exhibitions including the first works shown since 1939 by pioneering woman artist Amy Leong Pang (1987), and works by “the father of Trinidadian art,” Carlisle Chang, after he hadn't had a public show in 30 years (1998). Pereira's art history research and book publications were also instrumental in reviving interest in many of Trinidad and Tobago's colonial-era artists, such as Agostino Brunias (1730–1796) and Michel Jean Cazabon (1813–1888), having spent five years travelling throughout the region and beyond learning about their work. He also brought attention to the works of early 20th-century artists like Sybil Atteck and Edwin Hing Wan, as well as brothers Geoffrey and Boscoe Holder. The Facebook page Trinidad Art Resellers credited Pereira with helping people form an appreciation for local art, saying: The country has lost a great asset. Gilberte Farah O'Sullivan remembered Pereira as “a model human citizen, and curator in support of the arts in T&T,” while diaspora artist and photographer Sonya Sanchez Arias posted: I can’t even wrap my mind around this sad news!!! Mark [has] made a tremendous contribution to the thriving Art market in T&T. […] What a great loss for 🇹🇹 — he gave so much to our art and culture. Trinidad-based artist Rebecca M Foster added: There are no words to describe the tremendous loss the art world of Trinbago and those who knew and loved Mark are experiencing right now. Shock, hurt, anger sadness are just some of the feelings that have been revolving after hearing the devastating news. […] So senseless and cruel Life can change in an instant. Mark, you will forever hold a special place in my heart. RIP ❤️❤️❤️ Given the circumstances of his death, online discussion soon turned to the crime situation in Trinidad and Tobago. In an estimated population of approximately 1.4 million, the current murder rate for 2022 is 560, making it one of the world's ten worst countries when it comes to violent crime. Facebook user Anna Levi was of the opinion that “the state is doing nothing effective about the crime,” while filmmaker Nicola Cross commented: Heinous.