Thinking about Jamaica

Rachael Minott

21 May - 16 June 2019

As a Jamaican living in the diaspora Rachael Minott explores identity while occupying multiple nationalities. Minott works to examine the national representation of Jamaica through the medium of sculpture, painting and print. By referencing symbols of Jamaican national identity such as its coat of arms, national heroes and traditional dishes, Minott constructs reflections on Jamaica’s history as a country and its decisions as a nation.  Thinking about Jamaica is mediation on Minott’s work to date, which is placed within the context of her personal art collection of Jamaican prints, paintings and photographs. Amongst the pieces exhibited are works by Edna Manley and Albert Huie as well as the photography of Owen Minott, the artist’s late grandfather, all of whom are represented in Jamaica’s National Art Collection. By considering the influence of these works on Jamaica’s artistic landscape the artist investigates the legacy of historic events and politics explored in her work.

The Artist

Rachael Minott is a Jamaican-born artist, curator and researcher. She champions collaborative practises and challenges the concept of neutrality in public spaces. Previous curatorial projects have included collaborations with Birmingham Museums Trust, London Transport Museum, Reading Museum and the Robert Sainsbury Library. As an artist she has exhibited in the 4th Ghetto Biennale in Port au Prince, Haiti 2015 and the Jamaica Biennial 2017. Rachael is a Trustee of the Museums Association and is currently Curator of Anthropology at the Horniman Museum and Gardens. Rachael researches Caribbean national representation and her practice reflects particularly on the Jamaican art historical cannon alongside the region’s contemporary issues. Allowing her to draw comparisons through time of the perianal concerns the island faces. By using a mixed discipline practice that encourages spaces for research and exchange Rachael positions visual art as an entry point which allows the viewer to delve into deeper content and conversations