As our 50th anniversary year progresses under the theme of Continuity … A Legacy of Artistry, the National Gallery of Jamaica invites the public to three (3) events in March that will facilitate engagement with our current temporary exhibition titled The Face of Us. Scheduled to close on March 31, 2024, The Face of Us explores Jamaican identity and social dynamics, through the lens of Portraiture. It features a selection of thirty-nine (39) artists from Jamaica and its diaspora, who have used notable approaches to portrait art, to examine the personal and social responses of Jamaicans, to experiences that occurred in the years 2020 to 2023.
The dates and times for the upcoming events are as follows:
Friday March 22, 2024
11:00 am
A special guided tour of The Face of Us exhibition, by NGJ Senior Curator Monique Barnett-Davidson.
1:30 pm
An artist’s talk entitled “A Look At Us”, moderated by Renee Kitson – multi-creative and lecturer at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts. Kitson will be dialoguing with six (6) of the artists featured in The Face of Us exhibition, briefly exploring their creative practice and how that had informed their selected artworks. The panelists will be Kimani Beckford, Camille Chedda, Shediene Fletcher, Maurice Hibbert, Rohmearo Mcfarlane and Kokab Zohoori-Dossa.
Sunday March 31, 2024
11:00am
“Gallery Treasure Hunt” activity for children aged 5 to 7 years old. A maximum capacity of thirty (30) spaces available; registration at the NGJ front desk.
1:30pm
Musical performance by Jamaican Musician Seretse Small, who attended the Jamaica School of Music and Berklee College of Music in the 1980s and ’90s, laying the groundwork for his diverse musical journey.
He is acclaimed for his ability to weave heartfelt narratives through song and instrumental composition. Small’s artistry is influenced by the intricate melodies and harmonies of musicians like Earl Klugh and George Benson combined with his profound love for film scoring. This unique blend of influences will be a central feature of his performance at the National Gallery.
Celebrated as a jazz guitarist, Small likens his musicality to that of a griot – a West African term for ‘storyteller’. As a performer, he has graced major jazz festivals throughout the Caribbean, including in Jamaica, Grenada, and St. Lucia, and toured globally from 2003 to 2005 with Grammy-winning reggae artist Sean Paul. In this upcoming performance, Seretse Small will be accompanied by Othniel Lewis on the keyboard, and Y.I.N.G.A on the violin, promising an afternoon where music and storytelling beautifully converge.
2:30pm
“Collage-A-Thon” activity for children aged 8 to 12 years old. A maximum capacity of thirty (30) spaces available; registration at the NGJ front desk.
Entry fees to the Gallery will be waived on March 22nd and March 31st; admission to these events will be free of charge. The NGJ anticipates that these activities will expand on the positive public reception that The Face of Us exhibition has garnered, since its opening last year on December 10. The Gallery looks forward to engaging with first time viewers of the exhibition, as well as with repeat visitors and patrons.
For more information on these upcoming events, ongoing exhibition The Face of Us, or any other public programming at the National Gallery of Jamaica, you can call (876)922-1561 /3 or (876)618-065 / 5. Be sure to subscribe to, and follow, the National Gallery of Jamaica on Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and YouTube, as well as our blog on WordPress. Interested persons can also email the NGJ at info@natgalja.org.jm.