Jamaica Making collection on display
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Published
21 October 2022
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The show, titled ‘Sweetness and Sorrow’, features artwork from the Theresa Roberts Art Collection, the private collection of Theresa Roberts, a Jamaican-born businesswoman, philanthropist and owner of the Jamaica Patty Company restaurants in London.
The show is compiled of 14 contemporary pieces, evolved from the Jamaica Making exhibition, which was co-curated by Pauline de Souza, senior lecturer in cultural manoeuvres at UEL and director of the Diversity Art Forum, Dr Emma Roberts and presented in partnership with the Victoria Gallery and Museum in Liverpool.
The exhibition title, Sweetness and Sorrow, comes from a poem written by Jamaican poet, Andre Bolt.
The work attempts to move away from the ideas of the Caribbean as a paradise and tracks the history of Jamaica since independence in 1962. The subject matter of the work touches on prostitution, spiritually, disease, death and how the body is viewed.
"I was first given a piece of art by my dear friend and favourite artist, David Begbie, which first developed my interest and inspired me to collect more," said Theresa.
"As I began to explore more pieces, I learnt that Jamaica had a wonderful, unexplored art community for a small island. When I went back to Jamaica and saw the range of work and topics explored, I decided that my next passion would be to collect and promote the work of Jamaican artists.
"It is so important to showcase work from diverse artists as it goes out to the world and wider audiences. I do not want to collect art for myself, I want to show the world and younger people what Jamaica can produce. After all, art is for sharing," she continued.
Pauline said: "We’re thrilled to be presenting this show in the Way Out East Gallery. Like all Caribbean islands, Jamaica is rarely seen as an individual country. This show allows Jamaicans to tell their own, real stories about their vibrant home, away from colonial history and touristic influences.
"It is impossible for us to give one definition of who we are, so presenting diverse art such as this allows us to show the many different interpretations and characteristics of a location or group of people."
Sweetness and Sorrow will run at the Way Out East Gallery from Wednesday 19 October - Friday 4 November 2022.
For more information see Art Jamaica.
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