Willi Chen, one of Trinidad and Tobago’s most versatile and inventive cultural figures, died on Friday at the age of 91. Born on October 26, 1934, Chen spent much of his life at his sprawling home and studio near the Guaracara River in Marabella, where he pursued a remarkable range of interests as a sculptor, painter, playwright, writer, stage designer, architect, builder, inventor and entrepreneur. Largely self-taught, he became known for his ingenuity and his willingness to experiment with unusual and indigenous materials.

Chen was among a formidable group of artists who got their early start and exhibition opportunities through the Southern Art Society, which staged exhibitions at the Naparima Bowl and other venues throughout south Trinidad. He developed close connections with southern-based artists including Ralph Baney and Sonnylal Rambissoon and exhibited regularly with the Society, continuing to participate until 1985 in one-man and group shows alongside artists including Baney, Alexis Baillie, Jill Strang, Samuel Ishak and Brother Fergus Griffin. The Society provided an important platform for artists outside Port of Spain and helped foster a vibrant artistic community in south Trinidad.

His best-known artistic work was Solar Marinorama, a massive 64-foot by 14-foot abstract steel mural which he created after winning a Central Bank competition in 1988. The work, assembled from individual pieces of steel and other materials, remains displayed at the Central Bank. Other major works included the Triumphant Christ mural at Christ the King Roman Catholic Church in San Fernando and the Escriva Lighthouse Tower at the Pointe-a-Pierre roundabout. His inventive approach also extended to construction, including a homemade pile-driving device he developed using a Land Rover, cables and a heavy steel hammer to drive steel pipes deep into the riverbank.