Fifty Years On: The National Gallery of Jamaica Reaffirms Its Mission with “Continuity” as a Contemporary Retrospective

Retrospectives remain the preferred format for galleries and museums to survey both the oeuvre of artists and, periodically, their own collections. Often regarded as a defining moment in the career of an artist, retrospectives provide a unique opportunity to demonstrate the full extent of their impact and legacy within the art world. Within the contemporary artistic landscape, however, curators and institutions have leveraged the format to contemplate and articulate their own histories and legacies. Once a framework solely employed to bestow mainstream recognition on individual artists, it has become a medium for examining distinctive curatorial contexts within galleries and institutions, often guided by the curator’s reflective and creative vision.

In a 2019 article for Apollo magazine, Edward Ball challenges the conventional boundaries of the retrospective, contesting the prevailing notion that, as an exhibition format, its sole purpose ought to serve the interest of artists. He argues, citing examples like Frieze New York’s 2018 “For Your Infotainment: Hudson and Features Inc.,” and MoMA’s 2022 “Just Above Midtown: 1974 to the Present” —both of which had a limited focus that had been defined by the institutions and then brought to life by their respective curators—that contemporary retrospectives can also support the curatorial legacy of institutions. As he puts it, “Retrospectives are no longer just for artists – galleries are getting in on the game.”

In celebrating its 50th anniversary, the National Gallery of Jamaica (NGJ) steps boldly into the game with Continuity. It not only moves beyond the traditional artist-centered retrospective but also surpasses the typical institutional approach, avoiding an overwhelming ceremonial display of collection favourites. Instead, it offers a more focused and compelling narrative. Continuity reflects the gallery’s commitment to remaining on mission, continuing to serve the Jamaican public and supporting its community of artists and stakeholders within the local visual arts ecosystem. The exhibition presents a singular narrative that centers on the diverse concerns expressed through its curated exhibitions over the past decade. According to Chief Curator O’Neil Lawrence, this approach marks a departure from the 40th anniversary exhibition, In Retrospect, which took a broader view, documenting the evolution of the gallery from its founding in 1974 to 2014. That exhibition highlighted the pivotal moments and artists that shaped the institution during its first forty years, featuring a wide array of works that charted the development of the gallery as the national custodian of visual heritage.

For the 50th anniversary exhibition, it was therefore unnecessary to present another comprehensive survey so soon in succession to its predecessor. Instead, Lawrence focused on recontextualising artworks that he believed best reflected the evolving concerns of the past decade. His selections were not merely based on standout pieces from previous exhibitions, but rather on those that could effectively support the curatorial narrative, engage with contemporary issues, and interact cohesively with the other works and the audience. Through this approach, Continuity exemplifies what Bell characterises as “a social kind of art history.” By curating only those works deemed most resonant and pertinent to contemporary cultural discourse, Lawrence united his singular curatorial vision with a broader sociocultural mission.

Continuity, inaugurating the NGJ’s exhibition program for the second half of the calendar year, was officially declared open on June 30 by the Honourable Olivia “Babsy” Grange, Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment, and Sport. The exhibition presented seventy works across a diverse range of media, including painting, sculpture, photography, fibre arts, digital media, and installation. Featuring contributions from forty-eight artists, the curatorial selection offered refreshing recontextualisations, positioning works by contemporary artists—such as Deborah Anzinger, Phillip Thomas, Kimani Beckford, Leasho Johnson, Matthew McCarthy, Richard Nattoo, and Storm Saulter—alongside pieces by seminal figures in modern Jamaican art, including Carl Abrahams, Albert Huie, and Everald Brown. This intentional juxtaposition yielded fresh insights, igniting a dynamic dialogue between two visual fields—the established heritage and the evolving contemporary landscape.

Over the next decade, the NGJ aims to expand collaborations with curators and curatorial initiatives—exemplified by the inclusion of Narrative Curatorial’s “Dubbing 62 Side A: Babylon + Zion”, featuring works by Matthew McCarthy, in Continuity. Lawrence aims to leverage these partnerships to deliver more dynamic exhibitions which offer critical responses to contemporary issues. Alongside these initiatives, the gallery will continue to host open-call exhibitions as a means of fostering broad artistic engagement and facilitating diverse creative discourse.