Jamaican art is best experienced in its natural setting - the lovely island nation of Jamaica. Located in the Caribbean Sea, just ninety miles south of Cuba, Jamaica is famous for reggae music and unique fashions. However, art is an important part of the Jamaican way of life, and the art is quite distinctive.

The Tainos, Jamaica’s indigenous Indians, are credited with first examples of the island’s art. The Tainos carved ‘zemis’, statues of their gods that were used in religious ceremonies. Once the island was colonized by Europeans visitors to the tropical paradise began to record the luscious Jamaican scenery - the seaside views, the cliffs, the inland jungles, and the amazing people.

In the early 1920s the Jamaican national style of art emerged. Edna Manley, a British artist and art teacher, arrived on the island in the 1920s and is credited with developing the unique style. She felt Jamaican art relied too heavily on European techniques and pushed local artists to turn to their own culture for influences. The Edna Manley College of Visual Arts is the island’s premier art institute.

What works of Jamaican art are considered groundbreaking? The lithograph collection, ‘Sketches of Character, In Illustration of the Habits, Occupations, and Costume of the Negro Population of the Island of Jamaica’ by Isaac Mendes Belisario recreates the early lives of island residents post-emancipation. Another interesting Jamaican artwork is ‘The Bead Sellers’ by Edna Manley.

The Jamaican national art movement continued into the 1950s. Art experts termed the work after the 1990s ‘postmodern’. Two distinct trends have developed throughout the years. Mainstream artists are those who show exposure to European trends in their work. Intuitive artists are just that - the majority is self taught and their work expresses itself from African roots, not European influences.

Art is alive and well in Jamaica today. Visitors have the opportunity to see it in many different forms. Modern artists such as Ebony Patterson and Phillip Thomas are currently displaying their work. Other lesser known artists producing beautiful Jamaican art can be found on the streets of the vibrant towns and cities of the island.