At A Glance: Jamaican Artists

Mallica ‘Kapo’ Reynolds (1911-1989)
Charismatic Zion Revivalist leader and the Patriarch Bishop of the St. Michael Tabernacle, Kapo was a cultural force who helped to define Jamaican art, particularly the so-called Intuitive or Self-Taught genre of the second half of the twentieth century. Kapo (with staff) is pictured here with members of his flock. Click photo to read more.
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Mallica ‘Kapo’ Reynolds (1911-1989)
Fellow artiste, Karl Parboosingh said that Kapo had found a shortcut from traditional African art to modern forms of expression, to become a sophisticated artist while by-passing formal training. Pictured here 'The Revivalist'. Click photo to read more.
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Mallica ‘Kapo’ Reynolds (1911-1989)
In 1969, General Manager of the Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation, Wycliffe Bennett said of Kapo, “...he paints with the energy and the strength of his society." Pictured here 'Ackee Grove'. Click photo to read more.
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Mallica ‘Kapo’ Reynolds (1911-1989)
‘Obedience covers all’ by Kapo is one of the pieces that is currently housed at The National Gallery of Jamaica. Click photo to read more.
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Barrington Watson (1931-present)
Watson's history paintings portray those moments in Jamaica's history that he perceived to be of particular importance in the move towards and beyond Independence. Watson was undisturbed by contemporary trends in the international and Jamaican art world, but followed the stylistic conventions of those European masters that he admired such as Sir Joshua Reynolds, Rembrandt, Velazquez and Goya. Click photo to read more.
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Barrington Watson (1931-present)
Sunset at the Beach #1, done in oil on canvas was exhibited in Barrington Watson's "Return to Richmond Hill Inn after 20 years" at the Richmond Hill Inn in Montego Bay opened on November 24, 2007. Click photo to read more.
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Barrington Watson (1931-present)
According to Watson, 'Out of Many One People' shows people at a bus stop, waiting to take the bus into the future. In this painting, Watson depicted this heterogeneous population on a common journey into the future. Click photo to read more.
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Albert Huie (1920- 2010)
Former Prime Minister Bruce Golding extolled Huie as one of Jamaica's greatest impressionist painters whose use of light and colour rendered many of his works masterpieces. Click photo to read more.
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Albert Huie (1920- 2010)
The painting titled Portrait of Edna Manley, by artist Albert Huie, leans against the railings at a press conference at the National Gallery of Jamaica. Edna Manley, a respected sculptor and wife of Norman Manley, Jamaica's first premier, was one of Huie's early admirers. His 'Portrait of Edna Manley' was a tribute to Manley, who died in 1987. Click photo to read more.
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Albert Huie (1920- 2010)
Noontime by Albert Huie at the National Gallery. Click photo to read more.
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Christopher Gonzales (1943 –2008)
Gonzales (far left) is known as a master sculptor and painter. He received many awards for his work and his noted pieces include a bust of National Hero George William Gordon (1965), full-figure bronze Marley statue (1982) and the coat-of-arms for the Prime Minister's residence. Click photo to read more.
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Christopher Gonzales (1943 –2008)
Gonzales had this to say about his ‘Man Arisen’ (pictured here) at the National Gallery, “...for some reason people think I was influenced by the work 'Negro Aroused' by Edna Manley. The only thing that was close to Edna Manley was the wood. She gave me the wood.” Click photo to read more.
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Christopher Gonzales (1943 –2008)
Two Sisters by Christopher Gonzales. Click photo to read more.
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Edna Manley OM (1900 –1987)
Edna Manley was a sculptor and contributor to Jamaican culture. She was the wife of former Premier Norman Manley. She is often considered the "mother of Jamaican art". Click photo to read more.
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Edna Manley OM (1900 –1987)
"Mother and Child", a bas-relief carved in purple heart wood by Edna Manley. The sculptured section is 43 1/2 inches in diameter, carved in a square slab of purple heart wood four feet by four. Click photo to read more.
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Edna Manley OM (1900 –1987)
Manley (second from right) says thank you to Mrs. Greta Fowler after the latter had unveiled a sculpture entitled "The Rainbow Serpent", by Mrs. Manley at the Little Theatre. Others from left are the Minister of Education, Mr. Howard Cooke and artist, Mr. Albert Huie. Click photo to read more.
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Edna Manley OM (1900 –1987)
Edna Manley's statue Negro Aroused on the Kingston waterfont. Veteran journalist the Hon Barbara Gloudon, OJ, OD at the the 2011 Edna Manley Memorial Lecture said, "...it is not in the best space. I am told windscreen washers use it to rest their squeegees and water buckets." Click photo to read more.
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Ebony G Patterson (1981-present)
Ebony G. Patterson is a 2004 graduate in painting of the Edna Manley College and winner of the Rex Nettleford fellowship in cultural studies 2011. Patterson’s work revolves around questions of identity and the body, and takes the form of mixed media paintings, drawings and collages, most of them on paper. Click photo to read more.
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Ebony G Patterson (1981-present)
Ebony Patterson’s 'Christ and Co. (Gonzalas Christ Revised and Extended)’. Click photo to read more.
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Ebony G Patterson (1981-present)
An Ebony G Patterson creation. Click photo to read more.
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Ebony G Patterson (1981-present)
An Ebony G Patterson creation commenting on the bleaching phenomenon prevalent in dancehall culture. Click photo to read more.
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