Earth Today | Kingston Biennial takes environmental focus

AS THE curtain comes down on its 50th anniversary year, the National Gallery of Jamaica (NGJ) is turning its attention to the environment,with its flagship exhibition, the Kingston Biennial, set for later this year.

Under the theme ‘Green X Gold’, the exhibition is to spotlight the environment, nature, and land, with its name and themes inspired in part by the ecological symbolisms of the Jamaican flag, the NGJ revealed in a recent release.

A calendar event for local and overseas audiences, the Kingston Biennial was reconfigured in 2019 to “a thematic and guest-curated exhibition, wherein a critically acclaimed curator, external to the NGJ, is invited to lead the exhibition’s artistic direction”.

This year’s curator is Ashley James, PhD, who is of Jamaican parentage and who currently holds the post of associate curator of contemporary art at Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City.

“I am thrilled to have been chosen to lead this year’s Kingston Biennial, working in concert with the excellent team at the National Gallery,” said James.

“A focus on contemporary Caribbean art begets unique art histories and ideas, and I look forward to the manifold conversations that will arise from the gathering together of an exciting constellation of artists making work in the Caribbean and its diaspora, and especially in Jamaica,” she added.

“It is an honour for me as a contemporary curator and as a Jamaican-American, in equal measure,” James said further.

Working in collaboration and consultation with the NGJ’s Chief Curator O’Neil Lawrence and his team, James is responsible not only for developing the exhibition’s theme, but also for selecting the artists and their works. Artists selected for the exhibition are Jamaican and larger Caribbean creative practitioners based locally and in the diaspora.

According to the release, this year’s theme is “applicable to a wide range of discursive frameworks across interests and across the globe, yet its historical and geographical contingencies render them especially and acutely germane to Jamaica and the broader Caribbean region”.

The presentation will, therefore, “centre artists who assume a critical, refractive, or otherwise inquisitive relation to environment and its depiction,” the release explained.

The theme derives from the green and gold of the flag, symbolising bountiful land and the bright sunshine, respectively, something known to most Jamaicans.

“The Kingston Biennial 2024, themed ‘Green X Gold’, delves into the intricate interplay between ecology and culture, encapsulating Jamaica’s rich natural environment and its cultural heritage. The theme lends itself to a plethora of interpretations and even global relevance, while referencing the Jamaican flag,” noted Senior Director Nadine Boothe-Gooden.

This year’s biennial seeks to inspire artists to explore and reinterpret these themes through diverse mediums, fostering a deeper appreciation and understanding of Jamaica’s unique identity.

“By engaging with Green X Gold, artists and audiences alike are encouraged to reflect on the balance between progress and preservation, innovation and tradition. The Kingston Biennial 2024 not only showcases the artistic talent of the region, but also serves as a call to action for sustainable practices and cultural reverence, emphasising that the preservation of natural and cultural resources is essential for the “continuity of future generations”, the release said.