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 →
Art Criticism and the Jamaican Art Ecology – the 1980s
The self-taught artist Everald Brown with the author in 1987, in the Kapo Gallery at the National Gallery. Part of Kapo's head (and turban) can be seen to the right Why is it that locally directed and published art criticism has all but disappeared in Jamaica? I am talking mainly about newspaper criticism, which was... Continue Reading →
Caribbean Conversations: Phillip Thomas – Part II
Here is the second part of my extended conversation with the Jamaican painter Phillip Thomas (part I can be found here), in which he talks about his work and issues and interests that have influenced him, and on which he has strong and at times very provocative views. It is long but well worth reading... Continue Reading →
Caribbean Conversations: Phillip Thomas – Part I
This is the first part of an extended conversation with the Jamaican painter Phillip Thomas. Part two can be found here.Phillip Thomas was born in 1980, in Kingston, Jamaica. He holds a BFA in Painting in 2003 from the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts and an MFA from the New York... Continue Reading →
Caribbean Conversations – Errol Ross Brewster – Part II
Errol Ross Brewster - Stop Death from Malnutrition (1984) Here is part II of my conversation with Errol Ross Brewster. Part I can be found here. Veerle Poupeye:- You were born and raised at a time when Guyana was entering a period of political and ideological radicalism, which significantly impacted the course of the country... Continue Reading →
From the Archives: David Pottinger (1911-2007)
While I work on some other projects (about which more soon), here is another short excerpt from my doctoral dissertation, “Between Nation and Market: Art and Society in Twentieth Century Jamaica” (Emory, 2011) – (C) Veerle Poupeye, all rights reserved. Unlike [Albert] Huie, David Pottinger’s talent was entirely homegrown: he attended Edna Manley’s free art... Continue Reading →