Detail of a work by Patrick Villaire at his studio (photo: Veerle Poupeye) This post was first published in the Jamaica Monitor of February 6, 2022. It is now reproduced here with a few updates and corrections. The occasion for my trip to Haiti, which ended on February 4, was my role in the Caribbean... Continue Reading →
Letter from Haiti: The Vives Exhibition at the Maison Dufort
Pascale Monnin - Chuchotements, 2014, collection: the Artist This commentary, on the recently closed Vives Exhibition, was first published in the Jamaica Monitor of January 30, 2022. During my stay here in Haiti, I have had the opportunity to share a house, and to work and exchange thoughts with two highly accomplished women in the... Continue Reading →
Bewigged – Greg Bailey’s Post-colonial Paraphernalia
Greg Bailey - Lady Locks (2021) I am privileged to have been invited to curate the debut solo exhibition of the Jamaican artist Greg Bailey is entitled Post-Colonial Paraphernalia. The exhibition explores the lingering effects of colonial symbols and and features ten new oil paintings and one drawing. The exhibition is on view at Creativ... Continue Reading →
Philip Wickstead – Portrait of Benjamin and Mary Pusey (c1775)
Philip Wickstead – Portrait of Benjamin and Mary Pusey, c1775, National Gallery of Jamaica (photo: Veerle Poupeye) An earlier version of this article was published in the Jamaica Monitor of September 5, 2021 This week, I start a new series in which I explore and contextualize famous and less well-known works of Jamaican art. The... Continue Reading →
Review: The 2020 Edna Manley College Fine Arts Graduates
Rohmearo McFarlane, Independent Study, 2020, mixed media installation This article was originally published in the Jamaica Monitor, in two parts, on May 30 and June 6, 2021, respectively. More images have been added. All photographs are by Joni Gordon, courtesy of the Edna Manley College. Part I The year 2020 was a challenging year for... Continue Reading →
Provocations: Navigating The Creative Industries
This is the first of a new series of shorter critical interventions on salient issues. The posts will pose questions, rather than to attempt to provide answers, and they are meant to be conversation starters, and comments are welcomed, as usual. There have been a lot of conversations here in the Caribbean, of late, on... Continue Reading →