Art Jamaica Exhibitions of Jamaican Paintings and Sculpture

EXHIBITIONS

'Sweetness and Sorrow'
Jamaica Making Collection displayed at the Way Out East Gallery
University of East London
19 – 28 October 2022, published 21 October 2022

A rare exhibition curated solely of art from Jamaican artists is displayed at the University of East London's Way Out East Gallery.

Exhibition wall with Jamaican Art at the University of East London 2022

The title Sweetness and Sorrow comes the poem written by the Jamaican poet Andre Bolt (2007). This exhibition has evolved from 'Jamaica Making: The Theresa Roberts Art Collection', curated by Dr. Emma Roberts at the Victoria Gallery and Museum in Liverpool. That exhibition comprised of some artworks in the collection of Theresa Roberts, who is founder and owner of the Jamaica Patty Co. restaurant, based in Covent Garden and Liverpool Street, London.

The show compiled of 14 contemporary pieces, evolved from the Jamaica Making exhibition, which was curated by Dr Emma Roberts and presented in partnership with the Victoria Gallery and Museum in Liverpool. The exhibition title, Sweetness and Sorrow, comes from a poem written by Jamaican poet Andre Bolt.

The work attempts to move away from the ideas of the Caribbean as a paradise and tracks the history of Jamaica since independence in 1962. The subject matter of the work touches on prostitution, spiritually, disease, death and how the body is viewed.

Artwork from Sweetness and Sorrow.

A member of the public views the artwork at Sweetness and Sorrow.

Read the Press Article

Exhibition Press Releas Jamaican Art 2022

"I was first given a piece of art by my dear friend and favourite artist, David Begbie, which first developed my interest and inspired me to collect more" said Theresa.
"As I began to explore more pieces, I learnt that Jamaica had a wonderful, unexplored art community for a small island. When I went back to Jamaica and saw the range of work and topics explored, I decided that my next passion would be to collect and promote the work of Jamaican artists.
It is so important to showcase work from diverse artists as it goes out to the world and wider audiences. I do not want to collect art for myself, I want to show the world and younger people what Jamaica can produce. After all, art is for sharing" she continued.

Pauline de Souza, lecturer in cultural manoeuvres and director of the Diversity Art Forum said:
"We’re thrilled to be presenting this show in the Way Out East Gallery. Like all Caribbean islands, Jamaica is rarely seen as an individual country. This show allows Jamaicans to tell their own, real stories about their vibrant home, away from colonial history and touristic influences.
It is impossible for us to give one definition of who we are, so presenting diverse art such as this allows us to show the many different interpretations and characteristics of a location or group of people."
Sweetness and Sorrow will run at the Way Out East Gallery from Wednesday 19 – Friday 28 October.

Hero Carousel, published 21 October 2022

Pauline de Souza, lecturer in cultural manoeuvres and director of the Diversity Art Forum said:

"We’re thrilled to be presenting this show in the Way Out East Gallery. Like all Caribbean islands, Jamaica is rarely seen as an individual country. This show allows Jamaicans to tell their own, real stories about their vibrant home, away from colonial history and touristic influences.
"It is impossible for us to give one definition of who we are, so presenting diverse art such as this allows us to show the many different interpretations and characteristics of a location or group of people."

Sweetness and Sorrow will run at the Way Out East Gallery from Wednesday 19 – Friday 28 October 2022

Open the Photo Gallery

'Sweetness And Sorrow'
Exhibition London 17-28 October 2022
University of East London

Diversity Art Forum was very pleased to be involved in this amazing exhibition Sweetness and Sorrow exhibition at the Way Out East Gallery.

The title 'Sweetness and Sorrow' comes the poem written by the Jamaican poet Andre Bolt (2007). This exhibition has evolved from 'Jamaica Making: The Theresa Roberts Art Collection', curated by Dr. Emma Roberts at the Victoria Gallery and Museum in Liverpool. That exhibition comprised of some artworks in the collection of Theresa Roberts, who is founder and owner of the Jamaica Patty Co. restaurant, based in Covent Garden and Liverpool Street, London.

Read on: Diversity Art Forum article
'Sweetness and Sorrow Exhibition'

BBC Radio Merseyside documentary:
Jamaica Making: The Theresa Roberts Art Collection
18 February 2022

The first exhibition of wholly Jamaican art to be displayed in North-West England has found its home in Liverpool.
Jamaica Making: The Theresa Roberts Art Collection exhibition at the Victoria Gallery and Museum will feature more than thirty artworks from the extensive collection of Jamaican-born entrepreneur and philanthropist Theresa Roberts.

Watch - BBC Watch (FaceBook)

Victoria Gallery & Museum Liverpool
Former Prime Minister of Jamaica opens Victoria&Albert Museum Exhibition
22 February 2022

Prime Minister opens Victoria and Albert Museum exhibition with Jamaican art collection 2022

portrait of a young jamaican with exhibition title for art exhibition Jamaica making at the Victoria Gallery and Museum Liverpool 2022

Amanda Draper:
“Jamaica Making has been one of our most vibrant and popular exhibitions, attracting new audiences and enabling us to engage with diverse communities across our city. It has been an inspiration to work with collector Theresa Roberts, whose enthusiasm for promoting the art of Jamaica drove the exhibition forward, and with Dr Emma Roberts of Liverpool John Moores University, whose extensive knowledge of the Jamaican artworld underpinned the project.”

A new exhibition showcasing the vibrancy and variety of contemporary Jamaican art since the country’s Independence in 1962 will open at the University of Liverpool’s Victoria Gallery & Museum on Saturday, 19 February.

The University of Liverpool: "An exhibition showcasing the vibrancy and variety of contemporary Jamaican art since the country’s Independence in 1962. Jamaican-born entrepreneur and philanthropist Theresa Roberts has kindly lent from her extensive private collection. It shows a Jamaica beyond the tourist idyll - a country with its challenges but a strong sense of identity and culture."

The ‘Jamaica Making: The Theresa Roberts Art Collection’ exhibition will feature more than thirty artworks from the extensive private collection of Jamaican-born entrepreneur and philanthropist Theresa Roberts.
It is the first exhibition entirely of Jamaican art to take place in the north-west of England and offers a comprehensive presentation of the best of Jamaican art since the 1960s.

The exhibition features a mix of established names and emerging talent, expressing their world through a blend of painting, sculpture, photography and mixed-media.

Read on - Article The Guide Liverpool

Victoria Gallery & Museum Liverpool
Jamaica Making: The Theresa Roberts Art Collection
Galleries 6 & 7, 19 February - 9 July 2022

Painting by Jamaican Artist Alicia Lisa Brown for exhibition Jamaican Making, Liverpool 2022

Enter the interactive 3D exhibition:
‘Jamaica Making: The Theresa Roberts Art Collection’

Jamaica Making
The Theresa Roberts Art Collection
Edited by Emma Roberts
Liverpool University Press 2022

Book title Jamaika Making - The Theresa Roberts Art Collection published 2022

Open the Catalogue (PDF)

This book accompanies the first exhibition entirely of Jamaican art to take place in the north-west of the UK. The exhibition, Jamaica Making: The Theresa Roberts Art Collection, is sited at the Victoria Gallery and Museum, Liverpool in 2022, and is a comprehensive presentation of the best of Jamaican art since the 1960s.

The Theresa Roberts Art Collection is the private collection of Theresa Roberts, a Jamaican-born businesswoman and philanthropist, who has made the UK her home. This collection offers an important insight into the development of Jamaican art since the country gained Independence in 1962. Indeed, the exhibition also acts to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Jamaican independence in 2022.
Included in the book are the following: an official welcome from the Prime Minister of Jamaica; an essay by the collector, exhibition donor and philanthropist, Theresa Roberts; an introduction by eminent British-Jamaican art historian, Edward Lucie-Smith; essays by Emma Roberts, the exhibition curator (Liverpool John Moores University), Davinia Gregory, writer, educator and researcher (Columbia University, USA) and Sireita Mullings, arts practitioner and visual sociologist (University of Bedfordshire). The final section of the book is the full visual catalogue of the Jamaica Making exhibition - a unique record of this historic exhibition.

Emma Roberts is Associate Dean (Global Engagement) at Liverpool John Moores University.

Britain’s Black History Month 2021 Launches with Powerful Jamaican Art Exclusive Private View

Exclusive private viewing of 15 pieces of art from 11 Jamaican artists based in Jamaica, the USA and the UK.

Read the full article: https://www.blackhistorymonth.org.uk/article/section/news/britains-black-history-month-2021-launches-with-powerful-jamaican-art-exclusive-private-view/

image Art Awakening Humanity at St Stephen Walbrook London 2017

ART AWAKENING HUMANITY
2-7PM, 25 OCTOBER 2017, 39 WALBROOK, LONDON EC4N 8BN

An interactive afternoon of short talks and meditations organised by St Stephen Walbrook in partnership with Awakened Artists and Watkins Mind Body Spirit Magazine. The event includes contributions from artists, collectors & spiritual teachers centred around the relationship between art and the spiritual dimension. Inspired by a recent interview with Eckhart Tolle in Mind Body Spirit Magazine, the afternoon will primarily focus on art's capacity to 'awaken' humanity and serve as a portal to the invisible realms of beauty.

The event will be held in the context of an exhibition at St Stephen Walbrook of Alexander de Cadenet’s ‘Life-Burgers’, works which question the vanity of worldly existence and explores the “cultural hero system” proposed by philosopher Ernest Becker.

Presenters: Alexander de Cadenet, Jonathan, Theresa Roberts, Revd Mark Dean, Roseline de Thélin, Jonathan Kearney, Edward Lucie-Smith and Revd Jonathan Evens.

For more information please visit: awakenedartists.com/events | Read the Press Release Art Awakening Humanity

Jamaican Spiritual
A Jamaican Art Exhibition at St Stephen Walbrook, London
03 - 14 July 2017

The show is made up of painting,sculpture and photography highlighting the strong spiritual nature of Jamaica and it’s people. Whilst predominantly Christian, Jamaica is home to a wide mix of religions which coexist peacefully.The variety of spiritual beliefs held on the island reflect the diverse nature of the people who live there and the motto of the country ”Out of many one people.“
Whilst spirituality is the overriding theme the exhibition inevitably also offers a compelling insight into the diverse nature and vibrancy of modern Jamaica.

Read on …

image Black Jesus Painting and inviation to art exhibition

Open the Jamaica Spiritual Catalogue (PDF)

'Jamaican Connections'
Falmouth Gallery - 06 July 2015 - 03 August 2015
Read on …

Painting by Philip Thomas - The Bull Fighter

This exhibition showcases the links between Falmouth and the Caribbean island of Jamaica, 5,000 miles away. As well as sharing Falmouth's name for one of its parishes, Jamaica was also host to the artist Henry Scott Tuke.
In 1923 Tuke embarked upon a trip to Jamaica, spending many months painting water colours of boats, figures and landscapes.He was based in Black River the capital of St Elizabeth Parish, and the show begins with landscapes of this town.
Work on show will also include paintings by Jamaica's most celebrated living artist, Barrington Watson, alongside a selection from Jamaica's eclectic art scene.

Open the Jamaica Connection Catalogue (PDF)

ART JAMAICA IN FASHION - watch the video
Exhibition of fashion inspired by art in collaboration with Sharmain Forde Couture
8 – 13 August 2012, 27 Cork Street, London

Style Observer September 2012 Page 4-5
Images: THE STYLE OBSERVER JAMAICA, September 2012

-> download PDF Article Style Observer -> download PDF Art Jamaica Catalogue

Press Release

London, England:
Jamaica House 2012 will be celebrating Jamaica’s 50th year of independence with a special art exhibition titled ‘Art Jamaica in Fashion’ from Jamaican art curator Mrs. Theresa Roberts and fashion designer Sharmain Forde scheduled for Independence Day, Monday August 6th in the North Greenwich Arena, London.
The ‘Art Jamaica in Fashion’ show presents an exhibition of fashion inspired by art, staged by Art Jamaica in collaboration with Sharmain Forde Couture. The exhibition celebrates elements of Jamaican culture which are world class, but rarely exposed outside of Jamaica. Sharmain Forde has created 20 pieces each inspired by a different work in the Art Jamaica collection.
Jamaica House 2012, taking place from August 3 -12, is the official national house for the country in London and serves as the base of Jamaica’s National Olympic Committee. The initiative seeks to capture Brand Jamaica in every way when the eyes of the world are focused on Jamaica during the London 2012 Summer Olympics. With the addition of ‘Art Jamaica in Fashion’, Jamaica House will truly capture the island’s cultural entirety.
According to Theresa Roberts, particular emphasis was placed on choosing pieces of art that represented different eras in Jamaica's progress as an independent country for the creation of the collection. The result of this careful planning has resulted in an art and fashion show which joyfully celebrates and demonstrates Jamaica's rich post-colonial cultural heritage.
"I am honoured to have been given this wonderful opportunity by my country to showcase the best of Jamaican culture to the world,” Mrs. Roberts added.
Mrs. Roberts is involved in numerous United Kingdom arts projects such as: DRIFT - installations on the River Thames; New Hall Art Collection, Cambridge University - a permanent collection of modern and contemporary art by women artists, with the exhibition of Jamaican women artists at Murray Edwards College in 2010; and the establishment of the International Slavery Museum, forming part of Liverpool's National Museums. Ms. Roberts has also launched her own commercial gallery, ‘Black Circle’ to give exposure to Jamaican artists currently under represented in Europe.
Sharmain Forde is a fashion and interior designer of Jamaican heritage who has embraced a wide range of influences, defying traditional limitations and creating new forms in fashion and design. Born in London, Jamaica has been a 'touchstone' throughout her career, influencing her colour, texture and silhouette choices. "Jamaican Independence is my independence", Forde expressed.
The Jamaica House 2012 initiative is organized by JAMPRO, the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) and the Jamaica 50 Secretariat.

BLACK CIRCLE GALLERY
EXHIBITION 8 – 13 August 2012, 27 Cork Street, London - watch the video

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Press Release

London, England:
Jamaica House 2012 will be celebrating Jamaica’s 50th year of independence with a special art exhibition titled ‘Art Jamaica in Fashion’ from Jamaican art curator Mrs. Theresa Roberts and fashion designer Sharmain Forde scheduled for Independence Day, Monday August 6th in the North Greenwich Arena, London.
The ‘Art Jamaica in Fashion’ show presents an exhibition of fashion inspired by art, staged by Art Jamaica in collaboration with Sharmain Forde Couture. The exhibition celebrates elements of Jamaican culture which are world class, but rarely exposed outside of Jamaica. Sharmain Forde has created 20 pieces each inspired by a different work in the Art Jamaica collection.
Jamaica House 2012, taking place from August 3 -12, is the official national house for the country in London and serves as the base of Jamaica’s National Olympic Committee. The initiative seeks to capture Brand Jamaica in every way when the eyes of the world are focused on Jamaica during the London 2012 Summer Olympics. With the addition of ‘Art Jamaica in Fashion’, Jamaica House will truly capture the island’s cultural entirety.
According to Theresa Roberts, particular emphasis was placed on choosing pieces of art that represented different eras in Jamaica's progress as an independent country for the creation of the collection. The result of this careful planning has resulted in an art and fashion show which joyfully celebrates and demonstrates Jamaica's rich post-colonial cultural heritage.
"I am honoured to have been given this wonderful opportunity by my country to showcase the best of Jamaican culture to the world,” Mrs. Roberts added.
Mrs. Roberts is involved in numerous United Kingdom arts projects such as: DRIFT - installations on the River Thames; New Hall Art Collection, Cambridge University - a permanent collection of modern and contemporary art by women artists, with the exhibition of Jamaican women artists at Murray Edwards College in 2010; and the establishment of the International Slavery Museum, forming part of Liverpool's National Museums. Ms. Roberts has also launched her own commercial gallery, ‘Black Circle’ to give exposure to Jamaican artists currently under represented in Europe.
Sharmain Forde is a fashion and interior designer of Jamaican heritage who has embraced a wide range of influences, defying traditional limitations and creating new forms in fashion and design. Born in London, Jamaica has been a 'touchstone' throughout her career, influencing her colour, texture and silhouette choices. "Jamaican Independence is my independence", Forde expressed.
The Jamaica House 2012 initiative is organized by JAMPRO, the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) and the Jamaica 50 Secretariat.

‘Jamaican Men - A Collectors Choice’
19 - 29 June 2012
Europe House, 32 Smith Square, London SW1

ArtJamaica in conjunction with 12 Star Gallery at Europe House is delighted to announce that it will be staging a new exhibition featuring 30 works entitled "Jamaican Men, “A Collectors Choice" between 20th and 29th June 2012.
The new show complements the previous exhibition "Art Jamaica" put on at Murray Edwards College Cambridge in October 2010 which featured Jamaican women artists.
The latest show demonstrates some of the major themes in Jamaican Art and the way in which they have been treated by artists such as Albert Huie in the 1970's through to contemporary male artists such as Philip Thomas.
An interesting sub-theme is the way in which families (such as the Watsons- HRH Prince Harry of Wales unveiled Basil Watson’s painting on his recent trip to Jamaica), have passed the creative instinct from one generation to the next creating artistic dynasties in the process.

ArtJamaica is a not for profit organisation established by Theresa Roberts (one of Europe's foremost collectors of Jamaican Art) to promote the art of the island.
12 Star Gallery is the art gallery established in Europe House,32 Smith Square, London SW1P 3EU.The gallery is open 10am to 6pm, Monday to Friday.
2012 is the 50th anniversary of Jamaica's independence.

Read the article of Jonathan Fryer about the exhibition: http://jonathanfryer.wordpress.com/2012/06/19/jamaican-men

Catalogue: Jamaican-Men_catalogue.pdf
Watch our video!

Press Release

Jamaican Men - A Collectors Choice, Works 1975 to present day
20 - 29 June 2012

Selected artists
Albert Huie, Carl Abraham, Witney Miller, Barrington Watson, Basil Watson , Raymond Watson , Kai Watson, Milton George ,David Boxer , Gene Pearson , Phillip Thomas , Khary Darby, Michael Elliott , Oliver Myrie, Paul Stoppi.

The exhibition will comprise of 30 paintings and 4 sculptures by Jamaican male artists , the old masters and a selection of young artists who are working in Jamaica today.

Jamaica has become world-famous for its music (Bob Marley), and more recently for its athletic prowess (Usain Bolt), but is much less known for its art. Yet, for a small island nation, it possesses an astonishingly large number of artists, and a supportive community of collector. The paintings and sculptures shown here come from the collection of a proud Jamaican who divides her time between Britain and Jamaica. Since she recently supported an exhibition of Jamaican women artists at Murray Edwards College, Cambridge, which has the largest collection of contemporary art by women in Europe, Theresa Roberts has, on this occasion, chosen to show only work by men. The works date from 1975 to the present. They demonstrate some of the major themes in Jamaican art. First, a fascination with Jamaica’s beautiful landscape, exemplified in two works by Albert Huie, often described as ‘the father of Jamaican painting’. Second, a powerful figurative, often narrative impulse, often with religious overtones, as in the typical canvas by Carl Abrahams.

Jamaican artists are more interested in states of feeling than they are in exploring stylistic conventions. Their art, like the art of Jamaican musicians, reaches out very directly to the audience. Though this is one person’s view of the Jamaican art scene, the selection nevertheless gives a good idea of the nature of the Jamaican art-scene in general, and of the high level of talent to be found there.

Edward Lucie-Smith

Organised with the support of the Jamaican High CommissionJamaica House 2012 will be celebrating Jamaica’s 50th year of independence with a special art exhibition titled ‘Art Jamaica in Fashion’ from Jamaican art curator Mrs. Theresa Roberts and fashion designer Sharmain Forde scheduled for Independence Day, Monday August 6th in the North Greenwich Arena, London.

The ‘Art Jamaica in Fashion’ show presents an exhibition of fashion inspired by art, staged by Art Jamaica in collaboration with Sharmain Forde Couture. The exhibition celebrates elements of Jamaican culture which are world class, but rarely exposed outside of Jamaica. Sharmain Forde has created 20 pieces each inspired by a different work in the Art Jamaica collection.
Jamaica House 2012, taking place from August 3 -12, is the official national house for the country in London and serves as the base of Jamaica’s National Olympic Committee. The initiative seeks to capture Brand Jamaica in every way when the eyes of the world are focused on Jamaica during the London 2012 Summer Olympics. With the addition of ‘Art Jamaica in Fashion’, Jamaica House will truly capture the island’s cultural entirety.
According to Theresa Roberts, particular emphasis was placed on choosing pieces of art that represented different eras in Jamaica's progress as an independent country for the creation of the collection. The result of this careful planning has resulted in an art and fashion show which joyfully celebrates and demonstrates Jamaica's rich post-colonial cultural heritage.
"I am honoured to have been given this wonderful opportunity by my country to showcase the best of Jamaican culture to the world,” Mrs. Roberts added.
Mrs. Roberts is involved in numerous United Kingdom arts projects such as: DRIFT - installations on the River Thames; New Hall Art Collection, Cambridge University - a permanent collection of modern and contemporary art by women artists, with the exhibition of Jamaican women artists at Murray Edwards College in 2010; and the establishment of the International Slavery Museum, forming part of Liverpool's National Museums. Ms. Roberts has also launched her own commercial gallery, ‘Black Circle’ to give exposure to Jamaican artists currently under represented in Europe.
Sharmain Forde is a fashion and interior designer of Jamaican heritage who has embraced a wide range of influences, defying traditional limitations and creating new forms in fashion and design. Born in London, Jamaica has been a 'touchstone' throughout her career, influencing her colour, texture and silhouette choices. "Jamaican Independence is my independence", Forde expressed.

The Jamaica House 2012 initiative is organised by JAMPRO, the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) and the Jamaica 50 Secretariat.

'Spirit of Jamaica'
11 - 16 October 2011
BlackCircle Gallery Exhibition featuring the work of Jamaican Artists
14 Percy Street, London, W1

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Read On ...

'SPIRIT OF JAMAICA'
The opening exhibition features the work of its Jamaican artists, Monique Lofters, Kristina M. Rowe, Laura Hamilton, Philip Thomas and Laura Facey Cooper.
The Spirit of Jamaica exhibition curated to coincide with the launch of Black Circle Gallery is a natural starting point for a gallery conceived to represent artists from countries which are underrepresented in Europe.

Superficial notions of Jamaican culture which are portrayed in the mainstream media in Europe fail to take into account the sophisticated visual arts community which exists in the country. This diverse and dynamic arts scene is in no small part due to the legacy of "the Mother of Jamaican Art” Edna Manley (a contemporary of Barbara Hepworth, wife of Chief Minister Norman Manley and mother of Prime Minister Michael Manley) who established disciplines and infrastructures in the country which would be immediately recognisable to the Anglo-Saxon eye but which have evolved over the 50 years since independence to become uniquely Jamaican in character. The artists in the show represent the best of the new wave of artists following in the footsteps of past masters such as Albert Huie,Barrington Watson and John Dunkley all of whom have established reputations beyond the West Indies. Although crudely categorised as a new wave of artists the individuals do,of course,represent talent at different stages of maturity and at different points in their careers.

Monique Lofters and Kristina Rowe were the undoubted stars of the Edna Manley Art College final year show in 200[9].These are two young women who have a huge amount to say about the role of women in Jamaica today.The Island has long been a matriarchal society but it is telling that women are well represented in this show despite there being no recognised Jamaican woman "Old Master" other than Edna Manley. Laura Facey and Lara Hamilton are,in contrast,established and popular artists in Jamaica who have also exhibited overseas and are starting to gain international reputations.Laura Facey's sculpture ["Slave Ship"] has been exhibited in museums outside Jamaica and has created international interest befitting its subject matter and the quality of its execution. Philip Thomas is the rising star of Jamaican Art.An articulate and thoughtful individual he is already represented by a dealer in New York and we feel privileged to have been able to represent him in the UK.Philip deals with the place of black culture in Europe through his depictions of recognisably European figures from history with "blackness" imposed upon them.This technique forces us (sometimes uncomfortably) to question the way in which "European" culture and history has been presented to us.In addition the uneasy relationship between beauty and brutality are another recurring theme.

Black Circle Gallery is a dynamic new gallery funded by Theresa Roberts to promote artists from countries which are underrepresented in Europe. Theresa Roberts is a Jamaican by birth and this first exhibition showcasing young Jamaican talent is a natural starting point reflecting her heritage.

> Read also the online article in Press Jamaican Observer

Details of the Artists are as follows:

Monique Lofters
Born in Jamaica in 1987
Attended Edna Manley School of Visual Arts

Kristina M. Rowe
Born in Jamaica in 1986
Attended Edna Manley School of Visual Arts

Laura Hamilton
Born in Kingston, Jamaica in 1964
Attended Central School of Art, London UK & Kingston Polytechnic, London UK

Phillip Thomas
Born in 1980
Attended the Edna Manley School of Visual Arts and has won several awards

Laura Facey Cooper
Born in Kingston, Jamaica in 1954
Attended Jamaica School of Art Kingston, Jamaica and also West Surrey College of Art and Design, England. She has received several awards including a commission of sculpture for Emancipation Park, Kingston.

‘The Spirit of Jamaica”
Exhibition at The House of Lords, London, October 2011
See the catalogue (PDF):

Art-Jamaica Exhibition
Chateau Giez, Geneva, July 2011
See the catalogue (PDF):

‘Art Jamaica Exhibition'
Exhibition in Newhall, November 2010

Video

Press Article in Jamaica Observer

Catalogue_Art-Jamaica (PDF)

Press Release

Press Release:
Exhibition runs 22 October – 18 November 2010
Introducing the unique vibrancy and flavour of Jamaica's modern and contemporary art scene through the work of her women artists.
This autumn, the New Hall Art Collection at Murray Edwards College, Cambridge, will be hosting an exhibition of modern and contemporary works by Jamaican women artists. Art Jamaica presents both established and emerging Jamaican artists, embodying notions of what it is to be Jamaican. The works exhibited draw on a wide variety of influence from Jamaican culture and heritage to contemporary ideals of womanhood and exploration of the female body.
This will be the first exhibition presenting Jamaican women artists in the UK and includes work by 13 Jamaican artists: Edna Manley, Judy Ann Macmillan, Laura Facey, Laura Hamilton, Keisha Castello, Khepera, Margaret Chen, Ebony G. Patterson, Monique Lofters, Kristina Rowe, Helen Elliot, Anna Ruth Henriques and Trudy Ann Barrett.
“The works presented here call into question the simplified history of Jamaican contemporary art. Edna Manley, Laura Facey and Judy Ann Macmillan show where women’s art is rooted in contemporary Jamaican culture. They are not apparently interested in the clash of cultures that has too often preoccupied those who write about Jamaican art. The contrast between them is not one between Europe and (a largely imaginary) Africa but between the public and the private, Macmillan offers an intense concentration on Jamaican nature; Manley and Facey are not afraid to make broad statements about the human condition, which puts them in direct relationship to the Latin American tradition of Diego Rivera in Mexico and Antonio Berni in Argentina.
These preoccupations continue, but in a different guise, in the work of younger Jamaican women artists. They have obviously been affected by the worldwide feminist movement, with a particular, often very specific, interest in women’s bodies. They are as comfortable with the mythology of the Greco-Roman tradition – the goddess Ceres, for example – as they are with the idea of an ancestral Africa. They sometimes seem to see the production of art as a juncture of opposites – on the one hand as an exploration of the self, often influenced by the doctrines of Jung, and on the other hand as the expression of a collective consciousness where African elements still have a fundamental role to play. They explore a very wide range of materials and techniques.” Catalogue extract from Edward Lucie-Smith
Pat Ramsay, an advocate of Jamaican art explains, “Contemporary Jamaican art is bold and eclectic. It uses a variety of media and assumes many and varied roles, from mirroring society to critiquing the dynamics of its makeup. Jamaican Art is organic, constantly evolving, and with each evolution it seeks to challenge conventional understandings of the art form and format.
The inspiration behind this exhibition has come from a private collection owned by Theresa Roberts, who was born in St. Elizabeth, Jamaica and lived there for the first 8 years of her life before following the rest of her family to live in London. Theresa is tremendously proud of her cultural heritage and is a keen advocate of Jamaican art. She has been collecting since the late 1990s and now has a substantial collection of incredibly diverse works. Theresa says, "the quality and diversity of the art scene in Jamaica demands that it be exposed to an international audience. I am incredibly grateful to the New Hall Art Collection for staging this exhibition which is an important step towards helping gain that exposure”
A full colour catalogue will accompany this exhibition with an introduction by noted art historian and critic, Edward Lucie-Smith.
Art Jamaica, forms part of Cambridge Festival of Ideas, a programme of talks, events, performances and activities exploring the arts, humanities and social sciences. For more information please see the Festival of Ideas website: http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/whatson/ideasfestival/about.html. The exhibition runs between 22 October and 18 November at the New Hall Art Collection, Murray Edwards College, Huntingdon Road, Cambridge, CB3 0DF and is open every day 10am – 6pm. Admission is free.
-ENDS-
For more information, please contact: Amanda Rigler, Curator Email : art@newhall.cam.ac.uk Tel : 01223 769404 www.art.newhall.cam.ac.uk
Images for the exhibition, Art Jamaica, are available upon request.
Interviews with the organisers and artists can be arranged.
Notes for editors
1. Founded in 1954, New Hall was renamed Murray Edwards College in 2008. The college is one of three women’s colleges at Cambridge.
2. The New Hall Art Collection is a permanent collection of contemporary art by women artists. Paintings, prints, and sculpture are displayed throughout the Murray Edwards College. With close to 400 contemporary artworks by women artists including Paula Rego, Mary Kelly and Nicola Hicks, the New Hall Art Collection has become the most significant of its kind in Europe. www.art.newhall.cam.ac.uk. For more information contact curator Amanda Rigler, art@newhall.cam.ac.uk.
3. Theresa Roberts was born in St. Elizabeth, Jamaica and lived there for the first 8 years of her life, following which, she moved to London with family. From 1999 she started returning to Jamaica regularly and now has a home on the island. During her time in London, Theresa became heavily involved in the art world, initially collecting European art. On her return to Jamaica, Theresa was tremendously impressed and proud to discover the quality and sophistication of the Jamaican visual arts scene. This led to her starting an important collection of Jamaican art. From this beginning, she became convinced that she wanted to promote Jamaican artists internationally.
Support for Jamaican artists has now become her main passion but she continues to be involved in various UK arts projects including DRIFT (which involves the installation of visual arts in the River Thames), the New Hall Cambridge art collection (which is the largest collection of women's art in Europe) and the establishment of the International Slavery Museum, which forms part of National Museums, Liverpool.

9-bedroom Villa Hanover Grange in Jamaica

ART-JAMAICA.ORG

Jamaican Art - Paintings and Sculptures