10 Eye-Catching Artworks That Depict Jamaican Life

The highlight of this piece is the bridge on which the bus is driving. This infamous bridge was named for its dimension, Flat Bridge, and it crosses the Rio Cobre River, which cuts through the Bog Walk Gorge in St. Catherine, Jamaica. This bridge forms part of one of the oldest roads built on the island and is one of the main routes of transport from Kingston to the countryside.

Ackee is a fruit that is near and dear to many Jamaicans’ heart. When cooked with saltfish by an expert hand with a loving touch, it becomes Jamaica’s national dish, Ackee and Saltfish. Pictured here with two breadfruit in the background, we are privy to what would make up a traditional Jamaican meal on any given day.

Great Houses like these echo Jamaica’s colonial past and the architectural mastery of the former colonizers. While many of these houses have fallen into disrepair, there are quite a few that are being preserved, with societies being formed to protect these important aspects of Jamaica’s history. In her painting, Jackson has echoed the beauty of many great houses across the island.

The joy on these children’s faces as they eat a Jamaican Otaheite apple is reminiscent of the crisp, fresh, tasty goodness from its white fleshy interior. This fruit is a staple in the Jamaican diet and is available for most of the year. Allen’s paintings are always brightly colored and visually appealing, and this one is no different. These children walking carefully with their treasure, to hopefully share their good fortune, shows Allen’s expertise at simple but enchanting scenes of everyday Jamaican life that exist among the harsh realities of the same.

Known for painting children with peculiar expressions and various scenes portraying slavery, Ferron is skillful with the brush and has a knack for inspiring conversations with his work. In the years to come, will Jamaicans question the object of this boys gaze like the world questions the reason behind Mona Lisa’s smile?

This engaging image of geometric proportions with the female form at the center often has many viewers in the gallery commenting on the brilliance of the color scheme and the ingenuity of incorporating the shapes without being distracting.

Movement is a part of the beauty of life. Dancers depict that better than most, and this painting gives you the feeling of that beauty. Hall’s brush strokes move the images along and assure us that the moment in the dance he captured is just a pause before the next flurry of activity. This image is one of five, and three of that five are located within the gallery.

This painting, entitled The Last Drop, is more colorful and engaging than its title would suggest. At first glance, the reason for the name of the painting is not evident. It isn’t until you look closely and observe the form of the jar and the single drop of water from below that everything comes together. Armstrong is known for this painting style and expert use of color to bring the story to light.

The human form is one of the most painted subjects in the art world, and in Jamaican art, it is no different. This piece has also been quite the conversation starter. Is this a couple? Are they in love? Or are they lovers? The way their bodies mold together so easily suggests a certain comfort and familiarity evident in their interaction.