The renovated courtyard at Devon House, as photographed by the author on December 29, 2022 This post was originally published in the Monitor Tribune on January 1 and 8, 2023. It is reproduced here with a few minor changes. There has been intense outrage on social media recently since the Devon House courtyard reopened, after... Continue Reading →
Laura Facey’s “Laboratory of the Ticking Heart” and Ormsby Hall
Laura Facey's Three Graces at Ormsby Hall (Photo: Veerle Poupeye) This review was first published, in two parts, in the Jamaica Monitor (now the Monitor Tribune) of June 28 and 4, 2022. It is reproduced here with more photos and a few minor changes. Part 1: The Exhibition Laura Facey’s latest solo exhibition, The Laboratory... Continue Reading →
Letter from Haiti: Gingerbread Houses and Soupe Joumou
The recently restored Maison Chenet (photo: Veerle Poupeye) This post was originally published in the Jamaica Monitor of January 16, 2022. The original full version of the article is reproduced here. As I write this column, I am nearly halfway through my five-week stay in the country, to work on a project for Le Centre... Continue Reading →
Le Centre d’Art in Port-au-Prince, Haiti
The Centre d'Art building in the 1950s or early 60s. It was destroyed in the 2010 earthquake (photo: courtesy of Le Centre d'Art). This article was first published, in two parts, by the Jamaica Monitor on September 19 and 26, 2021. It is posted here with some minor modifications. Le Centre d’Art is among the... Continue Reading →
Before It’s All Gone: Preserving Jamaica’s Architectural Heritage
Cast iron building on Orange Street - photo: Paul Hamilton This post was first published as a two-part article in the Jamaica Monitor, on May 2 and May 9, respectively. It is published here as it was in the Monitor, but with more images added. Part 1 A few weeks ago, the Burnett Webster house... Continue Reading →
Parliament Buildings, Power, and Empowerment
The "Out of Many, One People" Design for Jamaica's new Parliament building (image source: JIS) Reposting this from 2020, as it is again part of the discussion: Two years ago, the Government of Jamaica, launched a competition for the design of a new Parliament building, to be located in National Heroes Park. The winning proposal,... Continue Reading →