Bad Art Gallery will launch a solo exhibition by Jamaican visual artist Joshua Solas, titled Until Such Time, on December 15, 2024.

The exhibition, which opens to the public on December 16th and through to December 29th, 2024, will be staged at 10A West Kings House Road in St Andrew. It will coincide with the timeline of the Kingston Biennial, and so it presents a bold reimagining of Jamaican cultural narratives through the lens of contemporary digital culture.

“In this innovative series, Solas transforms iconic symbols and rituals of Jamaican life into captivating, meme-inspired works that challenge traditional artistic representations. From the streets of Kingston to everyday cultural touchstones, Solas’s work pulses with visual vitality while maintaining critical depth and cultural resonance,” a release from Bad Art Gallery outlined.

The work, (H)UNTIL SUCH TIME, points to sometime in the future and indicates a difference between then and now, according to the artist.

“Change needs to be made and the place need fi fix up,” Solas opined.

A contemporary Jamaican visual artist, Solas is described as having an innovative approach to cultural representation. He is the founder of S O L A S I N K, an artistic agency whose focus is on telling stories through captivating visual media.

Solas’ work explores the intersection of traditional Jamaican culture and modern digital communication.

The exhibition is a joint effort between Bad Art Gallery and Narrative Curatorial, bringing together an exceptional team of arts professionals. Co-curators Antwain Clarke and Kerry Chen crafted an immersive journey through contemporary Jamaican visual culture.

At the same time, the exhibition’s distinctive installation design will be realised by installation specialists and art handlers Gianni Jahziel and Richard Nattoo, whose expertise ensures the innovative display concept achieves its full impact.

“Until Such Time is intended to be a place-holder. I believe every work is a sketch for the next one. As such this collection of works is a reflection on the past and present with aspirations for the future,” Solas explained.

The show will feature over 20 original works spanning mediums, including silkscreen on paper and mixed media on board. These pieces will be displayed through a unique combination of traditional wall mounting and custom sculptural easels across both gallery spaces at 10A, the iconic home of Perry Henzell & The Harder They Come (1972), creating a dynamic viewing experience that challenges conventional exhibition formats.

“In UNTIL SUCH TIME, Joshua Solas offers a radical reimagining of Jamaican visual art through the groundbreaking memefication of both local and global experience. By transforming traditional narratives into viral, shareable moments, Solas reveals how meme culture has become our most potent contemporary language – a dynamic, democratised form of expression that transcends geographical and artistic boundaries. These works don’t only represent Jamaica; they demonstrate how digital vernacular is reshaping our understanding of cultural representation in the 21st century,” Kerry Chen, curator at Narrative Curatorial, explained.

Bad Art Gallery expects to the exhibition will draw a diverse, multi-generational audience, from young digital natives and art students to established collectors and cultural enthusiasts. It represents a significant moment in contemporary Jamaican art, where traditional cultural narratives meet the digital age’s visual language.

Alongside the exhibition will be panel discussion and talk series featuring Joshua Solas and contemporary culture experts.