Washington DC – Works by noted artists Paul Blackwood and Courtney Morgan are gracing the Jamaican Embassy in Washington D.C., which launched a three-day “Open House” Art Exhibit on Wednesday, October 1, 2014. A few paintings by John Walters are also featured in the collection.
The exhibit, with over 80 works of art on display and for sale, was opened by the Jamaica’s Ambassador to the United States, Prof. Stephen Vasciannie, in the presence of a large gathering of Jamaica and other Caribbean and international art lovers and supporters, several ambassadors and diplomats among them.
The oil-on-canvas and prints, which are all on sale, depict poignant slices of Jamaican life, including from urban and rural landscapes, human forms and still life items, as well as abstract images.
Both Courtney Morgan and Paul Blackwood, who were present at the opening, are founding members of the acclaimed Trafalgar Artists Group of Jamaica and boast a solid international following. Their works, which have been on exhibition at the Embassy on previous occasions, have been acquired both locally and internationally, with collectors including King’s House, Jamaica; heads of state, including in Latin America; corporate institutions; entertainers (including Roberta Flack); academics and many others.
Speakers at the opening of the art exhibit included Sir George Alleyne, the University of the West Indies (UWI) Chancellor and Director Emeritus of the Pan-American Health Organization; Ms. Sonia Subaran, proprietor of the JaSac Art Gallery, Washington D.C.; and artist Courtney Morgan. Ms. Subaran curated the exhibition that is currently open at the Embassy.
In welcoming the artists and well-wishers to the Embassy, Ambassador Vasciannie noted that the collection on display helped to bring beauty, joy and tranquility to the Jamaican diplomatic premises, while showcasing Jamaican talent of the highest quality.
(Photo by Derrick Scott)
