The 59th Venice Biennale, from afar: Part 1-Context and History
The 59th Venice Biennale opened to the public on 23 April 2022 and caused a lot of excitement here in the Caribbean, as the coveted…
Rasta at a rum festival
There was a time when the combination of Rastafari and rum would have at least raised eyebrows, if not tempers. However, Capleton being slated as…
Puerto Rico notes: Part 2 – Artist studios and art museums
During my recent visit to Puerto Rico, I also had the opportunity to visit several artist’s studios, the most memorable of which was our visit…
The fallacy of affirmative Reggae Grammy action
So, let me attempt to understand the reasoning of those who are complaining about SOJA winning the 2022 Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album, just…
Puerto Rico notes: Part 1 – Art as social practice
A recent work trip took me to Puerto Rico, where I had not visited for about ten years. Most of my time was spent in…
A note on art appraisals
People approach me regularly with requests for appraisals of works of art, but I am reluctant to do so for two reasons. One is that…
Do not expect a post-COVID party explosion
Predictions are a seriously uncertain business for weather and election forecasters, horoscope writers and palm readers alike, even using the most refined scientific approaches or…
The restitution debate: Part III– Restitution and Jamaica
The British Museum holds three Taíno wood sculptures of Cemis (deities) from Jamaica, which are among the best-known examples of Taíno art. They were found…
A heritage of many children
While the number of children was consistent at 30, there was a disparity in the number of grandchildren attributed to late singer Denroy Morgan when…
The restitution debate: Part 2 – Issues and Strategies
Most major restitution negotiations take place on a state-to-state basis, but it is not always obvious how the cultural property rights involved align with those…