Necker IslandNecker Islandby Alberto Martinez

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Shark!...But wait, it’s swimming away... The fin resembles the tail of a British Airways plane now in retreat!

Is that The Bransons on a double decker sofa?!A double decker sofa on a submarine, ‘a crazy idea’ all sounds familiar to the entrepreneur. The sofa saved a group of friends from an explosion in The Lego Movie and reminds us of the fire at Necker!

Tubular bellsThe first release on Virgin Records that kick- started the Virgin empire!

Food, glorious food (and drink)!Fine food and drink are always in plentiful supply. The toppled Virgin cola can is a bit worse for wear though, not everything works out.

Soaring high above the competition...Virgin Atlantic’s tail is helping the penguin take flight.

Sail away!Richard loves boats!

Everyone’s favourite residents...Flamingos are admired and appreciated by all who visit Necker and a favourite of Richard.

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10Always plugged in!Despite being in The British Virgin Isles Richard always has a direct connection back to London...Coincidentally made via electricity, perhaps a subtle nod to Richard’s ‘Virgin Racing Formula E’.

Beautiful flowers...In a vase?!The vase is symbolic of the whole team’s efforts to maintain the natural beauty of the island whilst ensuring everything is kept pristine.

Lemurs are flourishing on Necker...Whilst 90% of their population face extinction making them the most threatened mammal group on Earth.

Hideaway for the rich and famous!An Oscar, designer shoe, and cat walk (there’s even paw prints left in the sand), Necker is a Sanctuary for those in the public eye.

A coffee grinder on the roof?Sir Richard takes raw unrefined materials, blends and mixes them to produce world class businesses, like Virgin Trains which appears to be coming out of the grinder. Virgin Galactic!A direct replica of the Virgin Galactic spaceship (being pulled into orbit by hot air balloons, another of Richard’s passions).

Under lock and keyNecker is a ‘bolt hole’, hideaway and retreat for visitors and the Branson family.

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Alberto’s work explores the issues of modern man through cityscapes

and landscapes littered with dream-like, surreal imagery. From very

recognisable metropolises to intimate streets, he distorts reality in support

of his painting’s fascinating narratives. Distinctive features of his work

includes the use of colour (warm, often almost tropical), painstaking

detail, wit, humour, and a variety of intriguing elements that intertwine to

challenge our conventional views of the world.

A relentless pursuit for technical improvement enhances Alberto’s work

discipline, which is a prominent characteristic of his personality. His oil on

canvas paintings take weeks, indeed sometimes months to complete, and

intricately craft stories that often draw inspiration from the challenges

presented by his move to England from his native Cuba in 2004.

Alberto works from his studio at the JAG Gallery in Brighton. His work is

featured in many private collections, and he often undertakes commissions

that include elements of a more personal nature to his collectors.

Alberto signs his work ‘El Flaco’

which means ‘the skinny one!’

Alberto Martinez

Branson“We are fortunate enough to live on Necker, the most

beautiful place in the world, because it is our home

where we can live life to the full. I have not left Britain

for tax reasons but for my love of the beautiful British

Virgin Islands and in particular Necker Island, which

I bought when I was 29 years old, 34 years ago, as an

uninhabited island on the edges of the BVI. Over that

time, we have built our home there, a place where my

family and I are able to truly relax.”

Sir Richard

All images © Blutulip Publishing Ltd 2015