Jamaica Project is a series of paintings exploring the traditional artisan skills employed in Jamaican life and their relationship to the way modern Jamaica talks about, represents and identifies itself. Specifically focusing on methods of advertising, the paintings translate modern messages into a traditional form, reflecting hand painted signage, which still remains popular in many areas of Jamaica. The series centres around Jamaica’s party scene, which is an integral and important part of Jamaican culture offering escapism and entertainment to a population who experiences hardship on a daily basis.  Through the use of humour and boundary testing sexual content Jamaica is in the process of redefining its culture and its place in the modern global landscape offering an enticing, if often sexist party culture that welcomes visitors to the island.

By combining the party names and imagery with the cherished traditional craftsmanship of Jamaican sign painting I am creating a dialogue between the past and present. Translating the new messages back into the language of the old highlights this commonality between the endeavour and skill that went into past production and that which goes into the present. As part of  a long history, businesses in Jamaica still hire local artists to craft and hand paint signs and intricate advertisements on walls and bus shelters in towns and cities. Yet due to the cheap cost of production modern digitally produced advertisements are fast becoming a dominant form of written and visual communication in Jamaica, enabling a transformation in the way Jamaican culture is shaping its messages and portraying itself to the world.

Having grown up in Jamaica and lived abroad for many years I have an outsider’s perspective of the current culture.

I see how it has changed and how new more modern forms of media are enabling a thriving party scene to express and advertise itself in ever more creative ways. The parties have a special place in the social fabric of the country exhibiting a combination of humor and endeavor that goes into planning the events. Of key importance are the often-outrageous names and tag lines that are used to draw an audience. 

Jamaican party names are in your face and chauvinistic with names like ‘Cleavage Refill’, ‘Wet Dreams’, ‘Milkyway – the cherry surprise too’ which are infused with tongue and cheek phrases and schoolboy double entendres. They are accompanied by images of scantly clad women in various alluring poses, reminiscent of 70’s American porn. These party advertisements are a common sight around town with taxi drivers displaying text only versions in tinted back windows, whilst blaring the latest dancehall tunes. While image heavy posters and flyers float around town.

The party culture seems at odds with Jamaica’s traditional conservative and religious moral outlook. The society prides itself on its family values and has a huge and very active array of different religions and churches on offer. It can also be said that Jamaican society is driven by its’ women. Women are more likely to continue through to secondary education and are often at times left to support large and extended families while the men come and go. Consequently women end up being the major breadwinners, yet they are portrayed and allow themselves to be portrayed as sex objects within a very male dominated society. This tempestuous balance of opposites all plays out within the party scene and finally on the dancehall floor.

Cleavage Refill, Acrylic on Paper, 100cm x 70cm