In honour of Jamaica’s 60th anniversary of independence, the Island SPACE Caribbean Museum in South Florida will host its “Pieces of Jamaica” exhibition, which opens today (June 4).

The photographic exhibition features the work of artists David I. Muir and Sean Henry, which showcases Jamaica through an expansive lens that captures overlooked cultural aspects of the island.

On June 23, Island SPACE Caribbean Museum will host a ‘Pieces of Jamaica’ reception, where friends of the museum, distinguished guests and art lovers alike can mingle and enjoy the showcase over wine and light refreshments.

A series of events have been planned for the exhibition, culminating on August 18, which provides visitors with the opportunity to purchase the coffee-table book and interact with project sponsors the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) and Sagicor, as well as local Jamaican dignitaries.

The exhibition is curated by Island SPACE’s curatorial consultant, Anna Visnitskaya.

Authentic Jamaican experience

Reflecting on the curation process, Visnitskaya states, “David Muir shares his access to the authentic Jamaican experience in a way that celebrates how many Jamaicans in the diaspora think of their country.  In choosing images to include in the show, two main criteria were considered: the artistic quality of the shot and its importance to the narrative.”

She adds that “every photograph was impactful in some way, but the final selection beautifully summarizes this particular series in David Muir’s body of work.” Visnitskaya declares that Muir, a photographer, entrepreneur, community leader, and author, has the experience and passion to capture the essence of Jamaica’s beauty.

Muir’s photography proudly displayed his native land, depicting Jamaican culture and lifestyle. He is currently the president of Island Syndicate, a multiple-award winning publishing company dedicated to storytelling excellence.

Muir is also the co-founder of Island SPACE Caribbean Museum, a non-profit organisation promoting the excellence and vitality of arts and cultural projects representing the Caribbean and its diaspora in South Florida.

According to Muir, “This exhibition is important for many reasons. Firstly, it brings visitors to Island SPACE Caribbean Museum. Secondly, it brings visitors to Jamaica and exposes those who have never visited Jamaica and those who haven’t visited Jamaica in a long time to what life currently is like in Jamaica.”

“My artwork reframes Jamaica in terms of a beautiful, loving, and progressing culture rather than in the way that mainstream media presents the island and has allowed people to make their minds up about what Jamaica really is,” the Jamaican creative added.

Sean Henry works with various mediums, drawing realistic illustrations of Jamaican scenery and portraits in watercolour, pastel, ink, charcoal, and mixed media.

His fine arts pieces are known for instantly transporting viewers into aesthetic worlds.

Henry points out that, “the fine art pieces that I’ll include will bring a different element to the project. Some of the places we capture, to some, are no longer in their glory days. My watercolour pieces will show the beauty that they still possess today, in another form of art.”