The reggae king’s 77th birthday celebrations are still going on. The museum will unveil a new exhibition including artwork inspired by Bob Marley today, May 11, the 41st anniversary of his death.
‘Roots 77,’ a juried exhibition including the work of 11 artists, is on display in one of the museum’s upstairs rooms at Marley’s former house and studio at 56 Hope Road in St Andrew. It looks out over the main courtyard and parking lot where the legendary musician used to play football.
Julia Vaz, director of marketing for the Bob Marley Group of Companies, noted during a special preview of the exhibit for the Jamaica Observer that it is anticipated that after viewing the pieces, people will ponder on these issues.
“As part of Bob Marley’s 77th birthday celebration, we recognized some roots, certain truisms that we believe make him who he is and [which] we believe may perhaps inspire others in the same way.” The goal was that by exposing these roots, people would be inspired to create work that could accomplish the same. We then put out a call for artists to submit their work, and we chose a few of them — and here they are today.
“The objective is that people will walk in and recognize the various origins of which we speak and be inspired simply by looking around.” You may find something to take away from each of these that will encourage you to do great things. What can I do when Bob Marley came from the countryside to the ghetto in Kingston and became one of the world’s most famous musicians?” Vaz continued.
Cultural Currency: Bob the Hero, a digital print on canvas by Renee Kitson, is one of the works that is sure to spark conversation. At a time when there is much discussion about the printing of new banknotes, Kitson uses Marley’s image on the infinity note to highlight the role of Jamaican music in enhancing the country’s visual appeal to the rest of the world, as opposed to the recognition and acknowledgement of these creatives’ work.
This show also features Howard Moo Young, the photographer who famously shot Marley linking the hands of political adversaries Michael Manley and Edward Seaga at the One Love Peace Concert.
Artist Errol Keane II is also featured in this exhibition, with his work Ethereal Locks: Coral Gardens, which provides a more tactile experience for the vision handicapped using Braille accents.
‘Roots 77: The Bob Marley Exhibition’ will be on display at the museum until August, soon after Jamaica’s 60th anniversary festivities.
“I think for people who visit the museum and have visited the museum on multiple occasions, yeah, you get goosepimples, but getting an opportunity to see how the museum’s vision evolves motivates people to come back to see what’s new,” Vaz said.
