National Gallery debuts Summer Exhibition on last Sundays

The National Gallery of Jamaica’s (NGJ’s) Last Sundays programming for July 28 will feature the opening of the inaugural National Gallery of Jamaica (NGJ) Summer Exhibition 2019 and will also showcase a musical performance by Jaz Elise. Olivia Grange, the minister of culture, gender, entertainment and sport, will give the keynote address.

This exhibition, according to the organisers, was developed in the tradition of previous open-submission art exhibitions staged by the National Gallery since 1974. Notable predecessors include the Annual National, the National Biennial, and the Jamaica Biennial exhibitions. Similar to those exhibitions, the NGJ Summer Show comprises an invited and a juried section and seeks to unearth new artistic talent as well as provide an enriching perspective on the already diverse and exciting cohort of Jamaican visual artists, both locally and abroad.

One hundred and ninety two artworks, produced by 115 artists, were reviewed by three judges – art historians Petrina Dacres and Erica Moiah James as well as exhibition designer Sara Shabaka. The resulting exhibition show will feature 97 artworks, by 68 Jamaican artists, based locally and overseas.

Artworks in the exhibition take on many forms: sculpture, fibre and textile arts, painting, photography, mixed media works, as well as large-scale installations. “As is expected with any open submission-based art show, the themes explored by our artists are diverse. Some of the more timeless ones include issues surrounding gender, ancestry, the environment, personas, and personalities,” a release from the NGJ stated.

Jaz Elise on a mission

Raised and moulded in the strongly cultured city of Kingston, Jamaica, Jaz Elise is an artiste who is on a mission to make great songs and uplift and spread positivity. Born Jasmine Taylor, she began singing in the children’s choir at age five and continued to pursue it throughout her life. Jaz Elise also has extensive experience in dancing and acting, performing in the Quilt Performing Arts Company, and co-starring in films such as Capture Land (directed by Nabil Elderkin) and Proscenium. Her style is a mixture of soulful melodies and DJ style, and her aim is to tell real stories, give real perspectives, and entertain through her music.

The National Gallery of Jamaica will be open from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The formalities will begin at 1:30 p.m. and the performance will follow afterwards. As is the norm on Last Sundays, admission is free, but visitors are encouraged to make contributions to the donations box, located in the lobby.

The National Gallery’s Gift Shop and Coffee Shop will be open for business.