Jamaican Photographs on Display at Embassy

An exhibition of Jamaican photographs and art forms are now on display at the Embassy of Jamaica, in Washington, D.C.

The exhibition, which comprises just over 50 photographs, is entitled, ‘Roots and Culture Jamaica’, and features photographs and art by Andrea Cauthen, a member of the Jamaican Diaspora, who resides in New York.

The exhibition was officially opened by Jamaica’s Ambassador to the United States, His Excellency Stephen Vasciannie on June 12.

In his address, the Ambassador said the embassy is keen to promote the richness and variety of the country’s culture. He emphasized that in matters cultural, as in other areas, “Jamaica punches well above its weight”.

Citing the items on display, Ambassador Vasciannie lauded Ms. Cauthen for bringing to the embassy, beautiful, stimulating and nostalgic images that highlight aspects of Jamaican life.

“In the course of Caribbean Heritage month, it is refreshing for Jamaicans and friends of Jamaica to be reminded about ‘ital stew’, ‘veggie chunks’, ‘ackee’ and ‘callaloo’, among other things,” said the Ambassador.

For her part, Ms. Cauthen told the audience that although she was born in the USA, her mother, a Jamaican, had instilled in her a sense of pride and identity in Jamaica.

Ms. Cauthen, a multimedia artist and photographer, is a graduate of Spellman College in Atlanta, Georgia and Parsons School of Design.

She currently works as a volunteer with the Irish Penn Early Childhood Institution in St. Catherine and will donate 25 per cent of all proceeds from sales made at the show to the school.