The JCDC Visual Arts Exhibition: A Niche in Creative Development

Dwight Larmond The Jamaica Cultural Development's (JCDC) annual Visual Arts Exhibition is now open for public viewing at The Jamaica Conference Centre, Downtown. It runs until December 22 and opens from 10am to 6pm from Mondays to Saturdays. While there, I had the chance to catch up with Sana Rose, JCDC's Visual Arts Specialist at the exhibition last week. We spoke about many things related to The Arts in Jamaica and how the Visual Arts Exhibition...

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Graphic Novels & Cartoons in the Caribbean

Lauren Hinds at her desk working on her comics In contrast to my time studying at Kyoto Seika University in Japan, one of the main hubs of Manga and Comic research, the Caribbean has not been as acutely aware of sequential art/cartoon/ comics as a creative practice. Many of us in Jamaica for example, grew up exchanging Archie comics, borrowing a few Marvel and DC comics from friends and reading the Sunday funnies. The stories in these comics...

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Residency and Exhibition Connects Regional Artists

  Ateliers '89 Foundation and the Mondriaan Foundation in collaboration with ARC Inc., and The Fresh Milk Art Platform Inc. presents Caribbean Linked II, a residency programme and exhibition which will take place from August 25th through September 6th, 2013 in Oranjestad, Aruba. Invited Artists include: Omar Kuwas (Curaçao), Veronica Dorsett (The Bahamas), Mark King (Barbados), Shirley Rufin (Martinique), Sofia Maldonado (Puerto Rico/US),...

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Mutual Gallery closes one chapter and opens another?

Inside the Mutual Gallery during its closing period For ten years The Mutual Gallery built its reputation as the most prestigious of Contemporary Art Galleries in Kingston. It was much like Jamaica's own White Cube or Gagosian Gallery. Many graduates from the Fine Art programme at The Edna Manley College of the Visual & Performing Arts, continually tested out their creative ideas via exhibition there. Artists who we made contact with continually...

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Less is More Design in Japan

Last Summer, while walking in a little off-road in Kyoto's city centre, I saw this window display. Arrangement of clothes hanging in the window display Arrangement of objects at the bottom of the window display  I couldn't really believe it was a shop until checking that it did have a sign on the door and a few racks of clothes. In that street, which is next to a temple and a very quiet upscale part of the commercial...

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Sex, Drugs & Social Media

The author of Sex, Drugs & Jerk Chicken, Marcus Bird A few months ago Marcus Bird described his experiences in Tokyo and the impact on his creativity. Now back in Jamaica, he has launched his new novel, Sex, Drugs & Jerk Chicken on Amazon. His journey is one of the creative today seeking to link the multiplicity of media and marketing tools available to reach audiences for his work. It is a story that is not foreign to many artists...

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ART:Jamaica Upgrade!

Thanks for your patience with this site and your support. During these last 5 years plans were being made to make this space more functional, consistent and forge new directions. With a staff of one part-time person some of these things take time to balance them with other life demands. The process of upgrading and reshaping the site has finally begun however so I ask your understanding while this takes place. Assistance is always appreciated....

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Imagine New Dimesnions in Jamaican Theatre

Storybook Theatre Productions have begun staging a nine-show theatrical production titled 'Imagine'. The show has various elements of theatre uncommonly seen on Jamaican stages. The production is more of a rolling montage of skits put together to make one performance. It is held together by the presence of signing performers in various stage positions throughout. 'Imagine' offers much to enjoy in sensory terms as well as it makes use of sound...

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New Caribbean Artists Residency

The options for artists in the Caribbean have steadily been increasing in the last few years. In Trinidad & Tobago, Alice Yard has become increasingly more active in the region with its 24 hour invitational residency. The Popup Studios in Bahamas also has become known for its Drawing Residency. In Jamaica, NLS has recently invited several socially engaged photographers to participate in their own residency programme. Fresh Milk Barbados,...

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