Veerle Poupeye's blog about art in the Caribbean and beyond
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 →
At the opening of the Jamaica, Jamaica exhibition "The National Gallery nah keep again?", said one artist scathingly; another quipped if "the National Gallery had been postponed?"; and yet another marveled at how a postponement announcement could also be a museum's first public announcement about a particular exhibition. They were all responding to the National... Continue Reading →
This post is adapted from the paper I have recently presented at the "Regional Workshop on the Conventions on the Illicit trafficking of Cultural Objects", which was hosted by the Jamaican Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport. This workshop was held at the Jamaica Pegasus, from March 2-5, 2020. Among the topics for discussion... Continue Reading →
Some time in late 2018, the National Gallery of Jamaica decided to cancel the Jamaica Biennial, of which two editions had been held, in 2014 and 2017. The Jamaica Biennial was the re-conceptualized successor to the National Biennial and, before that, the Annual National Exhibitions. While still hamstrung by the expectations and entitlements that had... Continue Reading →
In 2017, I had the opportunity to travel to Paris for the opening of Jamaica, Jamaica, a major exhibition on Jamaican music curated by the French music journalist Sebastien Carayol for the Philharmonie de Paris/Cité de la Musique. I did so in my capacity as the then Executive Director of the National Gallery of Jamaica... Continue Reading →
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 →
Perspectives 