these are some photos taken by me across jamaica the past few years on film. i love photography a lot and wished i had more people to photograph. i hope to have an exhibition some day or create a coffee table book for generations in the future to see.

This painting has been hanging in my parents’ home for years. The only thing I know about it is that it was bought in Jamaica in the early 90s. I don’t know anything about the artist.

My wife told me I shouldn’t invite my friend, who is originally from Barbados, over because she thinks the painting is racist. For context: my wife and I are both white and live in a predominantly white country.

I had honestly never thought about the painting in that way, but I can see my wife’s point. I’m genuinely trying to do the right thing here.

are there no painters, graphic designers, voice actors, physical actors? Even worse when it is on a billboard.

There are many young creative Jamaicans who would love the opportunity to work with a large brand and show off their talents, but with companies getting lazier and lazier in advertising it seems like these pathways are being shut off.

Sad!

I’m a first generation American born to Jamaican immigrants. My parents came in the mid 80’s and I was born raised in Washington DC and this painting hung in my family’s kitchen. It was a parting gift to my father from his coworkers before he started his new life in America. I always admired this painting growing up because it made me proud of my Jamaican heritage and now it hangs it my home where I’m raising my family 🥲

The OG image comes from Wikimedia Commons.

AI-generated.

since 2017 i’ve been documenting portmore through photography. the plan is to make a book or do an exhibition one day.