Jamaica’s art is a part of its rich and diverse history and culture. Throughout the years, it has been a platform to illustrate and celebrate the country’s beauty in various ways like music, theatre, and visual artwork, amongst others. Artists from various backgrounds told the story of Jamaica to the world and showcased its multiculturalism. The country is proud of this rich part of its identity, which continues to evolve and thrive on the modern scene.

​When it comes to visual artwork, the first occurrences are related to the indigenous Taino Indians. These indigenous people created “zemis,” that were representations of their divinities, for rituals and spiritual purposes. The European colonization caused the demise of this culture but was followed by a new era closer to the traditional European tastes. Several artists worked to give an image of the “new world” to Europe.

Isaac Mendes Belisario (1795–1849) is reported to be the first Jamaican artist to have a more Jamaican-centered approach in his work. His portfolio of lithographs includes “Sketches of Character,” “Illustration of the Habits,” “Occupation,” and “Costume of the Negro Population in the Island of Jamaica.”  They were published in collaboration with the lithographer Adolphe Duperly in 1837– 1838 as documents activities of slaves immediately after their emancipation.

Jamaica has produced dozens of artists so far. However, some of the most renowned internationally are:

Edna Manley (1900-1987) is considered one of the most influential artists of Jamaica. She is famous for her sculptures, but her work also includes paintings and drawings. The Edna Manley College of Visual and Performing Arts enjoys a solid reputation and has seen many of its students have an exciting career in Arts.

Albert Huie (1920-2010) was a Jamaican painter renowned for his landscape and genre paintings, though he also painted some portraits. He worked as an assistant to Edna Manley at the beginning of his career. He exhibited in Jamaica as well as around the United States, where he settled towards the end of his career. On National Heroes Day in 2009, he was honored by the Jamaican Embassy for his contributions to the Jamaican community in and around Washington, D.C.

Barrington Watson (1931-2016) played an important role in the development of modern Jamaican art. He worked hard to promote several artists through the Barrington Gallery inaugurated in 1970. This art gallery somehow set an example for other galleries that were created subsequently. During the years, he received orders to works on famous figures’ portrays such as Queen Elizabeth, Julius Lindon D. Johnson, Malcolm X, Paul Robeson, and Martin Luther King junior. His long career and implication in this area made him earn various distinctions and recognition from the nation.

The modern trend of art in Jamaica is to depict the major social topics such as crime and violence. Artists like Michael ELLIOT make explicit reference to Jamaica’s high levels of violent crime. The themes of his work include the entanglement of Jamaican party politics and criminal organizations in what is known as “garrison politics”; as well as “Tivoli Incursion”, the 2010 security operation to capture the criminal don, Christopher “Dudus” Coke, which involved the deaths of sixty-nine residents of Tivoli Gardens and led to a Commission of Enquiry.   Jamaica holds an important number of festivals to enjoy its art and culture. The Kingston on the Edge Urban Art Festival (KOTE), for example, is held yearly in Kingston. There,  Modern artists show their works in an inclusive festival that invites both traditional and avant-garde painters.

There are also many galleries where visual artwork is set forth. The National Gallery of Jamaica, the Olympia Gallery, the Harmony Hall Gallery, and the Grosvernors Galleries are some places to browse and discover Jamaican art and discover the different facets of the riches of the land.