From l to r: Rt. Hon Bruce Golding, Theresa Roberts and artist Basil Watson
The Rt Hon. Bruce Golding, former Prime Minister of Jamaica, opened the highly anticipated ‘Jamaica Making: The Theresa Roberts Art Collection’ exhibition at the Victoria Gallery & Museum on Friday evening.
The exhibition features a mix of established names and emerging talent in painting, sculpture, photography and mixed media from Theresa Roberts’ extensive private collection.
Theresa Roberts herself was amongst the guests who braved stormy conditions to attend the celebratory event to mark the opening of the exhibition. Also in attendance was the artist Basil Watson, the son of Jamaican painter, Barrington Watson, both of whose art work is on display in the exhibition.
The Rt Hon. Bruce Golding said: “It is a wonderful privilege for me to join that shining star of Jamaica, Theresa Roberts, and her husband, Andrew, and to have been asked to declare open the exhibition “Jamaica Making” – a showcasing of Jamaican art depicting our people, culture and experiences over our 60 years of independence.”
The exhibition is curated by Dr Amanda Draper from the Victoria Gallery & Museum and Dr Emma Roberts, Associate Dean for Global Engagement and Programme Leader of BA History of Art & Museum Studies at Liverpool John Moores University.
Dr Roberts (pictured above) said: “As Curator, after four years of preparation for the Jamaica Making: The Theresa Roberts Art Collection exhibition, it was moving to witness the private view opening evening. I was honoured and humbled to see the appreciation of the visitors, and to have the exhibition opened by Rt. Hon Bruce Golding, former Prime Minister of Jamaica, who flew thousands of miles from Jamaica especially to be there.
“The University of Liverpool is my alma mater, and years ago I took my examinations in the Victoria Building before it was converted into the gallery and museum. It was wonderful to see how my life is again entwined with the building and with the University of Liverpool. I am delighted to have worked with the team at the Victoria Gallery and Museum on this historic exhibition for Liverpool.”
A programme of events and activities accompanies the exhibition. Details of these alongside further information about the exhibition can be found at this VG&M feature page.
`Jamaica Making: The Theresa Roberts Art Collection’ opens to the public on Saturday, 19 February and runs until Saturday, 9 July 2022. Admission to the exhibition is free and the VG&M is open Tuesday – Saturday, 10am – 5pm.
Complementing the VG&M exhibition is `Retention of a Colonial Past’, a contemporary textile installation by Jamaican artist Desanna Watson Past. This is on display on the Ground Floor of LJMU’s Art & Design Building and Desanna Watson is artist in residence until March 9.
Photography: Ean Flanders
