Mutual Gallery, a small space on the edge of New Kingston, recently opened an exhibition of Jag Mehta's ceramics. Mehta, who is always attired in white, eschews the pottery wheel and makes his ceramics using the hand coiled method. The exhibition, titled Imperfect but Perfect, runs until November 19, 2011.
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YardEdge's Karin Wilson-Edmonds recently went on a JCE tour. This is what she had to say.
This past Saturday, I ventured out with a group of art enthusiasts on the inaugural Kingston Art Trek- our mission, to visit a cross-section of Kingston’s galleries. The creation of Jamaica Cultural Enterprises (JCE), a new tour company specializing in cultural tours of Jamaica, the Kingston Art Trek is designed to expose participants to a wide range of local art and artists. It also turned out to be an education on the history and landmarks of Kingston, as well as a great opportunity to meet fellow art aficionados!

JCE’s Karen Hutchinson was an excellent tour guide, highly knowledgeable on local art and on Kingston’s history and highlights. She expertly guided us around the various galleries, while simultaneously trying to keep us on schedule- not an easy task with so much to see!

We visited a total of six galleries, three downtown and three uptown, including Emancipation Park in New Kingston, Revolution Gallery, the National Gallery of Jamaica, Studio 174, Roktowa Gallery, Heather Sutherland Wade’s gallery and Grosvenor Galleries. A comfortable bus kept us from worrying about traffic and parking and allowed us to focus on the sights and sounds around us.

We began the day at 10 am sharp with coffee at Emancipation Park, where we viewed Laura Facey-Cooper’s Redemption Song, which although we’re all quite used to now caused quite a stir when it was originally unveiled.

Read full article here.

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Artists Tricia Gordon-Johnston, Gerard Hanson, and Monique Lofters listening to the speaker
On Tuesday, September 7, 2010, the Artist of the Year in the Super Plus Under 40 Competition was announced at Mutual Gallery in Kingston. There were two prizes to be won, one a "public prize" awarded based on public vote. The other a jury prize voted on by a panel of experts. In 2010, for the first time in 10 years, both prizes were won by the same artist, Gerard Hanson. Jamaica Cultural Enterprises was on the scene and took a few photographs. Soon to come: in depth articles on each of the three artists.
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Gerard Hanson accepts his award from Diana Thorburn-Chen. Artists Tricia Gordon-Johnston and Monique Lofters look on. Wayne Chen stands in front of Monique Lofters art work.
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Gerard Hanson discusses his work with a member of the public
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Monique Lofters speaking at the artist talk
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Tricia Gordon-Johnston explains the themes in her art
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Dollar II by Gerard Hanson
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Greetings all massive and crew. What were you all up to last week? Watching the de-wigging of Mr. Coke maybe? Yes, I made up that word. No apologies. We absolutely need a new vocabulary to describe Jamaica’s state of affairs  but we will prevail so stop shaking your heads! While I read of Dudus’s capture and reasoned (Jamaicanism: reason, verb meaning to discuss in order to gain great insight) about it with others, I also attended Kingston on the Edge (KOTE). June 18 to 26 saw the staging of the fourth annual KOTE, an urban arts festival which is based in Kingston. The concept is quite simply brilliant and one of those where you think to yourself, I wish I had come up with that one. At the same time it’s obvious too. The best ideas are like that. Obvious because Kingston, and admittedly I’m biased given that this is my town, is one place that is not at all short of artistic expression. We just talented is a shame! Much of that talent was on display for KOTE, themed this year as “Love, Art, Liberation”.

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Part of the KOTE Graffiti Board
The festival represents a diversity of arts including painting, dance (and funnily enough there was pilates and yoga mixed up in this category somehow), theatre, music, and film. Events were kicked off at the lovely opening show on June 18 at Red Bones Blues Cafe. There was striking art on display and notable among these were the sculpted pieces by Keith Anthony Cousins, carvings by Abol Mason, jewellery pieces by Inansi, and paintings by Chandis of Core Insight Group. Well, notable to me as these were artists I had not been exposed to before. Believe me people, this is the fun in it: discovering new art, being touched in a different way. Heady stuff. The atmosphere was relaxed with folks chatting, wandering around viewing art and drinking. There was also a very brief fashion show displaying the jewellery of Empress Abiola. The evening ended with the music of Mojahrock and the strong and passionate singing of Phebe-Ann Henry and Germaine Blake. 


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The exhibition was held at the island's central bank, the Bank of Jamaica (BOJ). The BOJ, which is housed in a beautiful part of downtown Kingston, is known for its own art collection so it seemed fitting that the Exhibition would be held in the place where economists ponder monetary policy.

The artists who are on display include Jack Allen, Vivienne Burton, Lennox Coke, Myrth Hall, Ray Jackson, Patsy Mair, Howard Moo-Young,  Lois, Sherwood-Lake, and Phyll Williams,  among others. Though it is a relatively small exhibition, there are some good pieces to see and themes run from the beauty of the Jamaican landscape to modern day urban scenes. There are a few photography pieces, relief carvings, and abstract paintings.

Definitely, this  exhibition is worth checking out.
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