"In Spirit & In Truth"
27 February - 17 March 2025
In Spirit & In Truth
Exhibition statement
The main purpose of this exhibition is to demonstrate, through the creative expressions of Black Jamaicans, that the traditional African metaphysical worldview pervades the spiritual beliefs and practices popular among Black Jamaicans. This exhibition arises from a consciousness rooted in the experiences of what it means to be an African descendant in Jamaica and aims to connect historical experiences of African philosophical beliefs and cultural practices with the creative expressions of African descendants. Furthermore, this exhibition is intended to serve as an historical record of the retention of African philosophy, spirituality and cultural practices within contemporary Black Jamaican experiences. It draws from iconographic references in Revival, Obeah, Myaal, Rastafari and Afro-Christian religious traditions, as well as La Regla de Ocha in Cuba and Haitian Vodun.
Curated by: Kevarney K.R. and Suzanna Missenberger
Creative direction by: Justeen Bailey
Featured artists:
Justeen Bailey, Kamala Davis, Dwayne Grant, Daniel Harrison, Kevarney K.R., Suzanna Missenberger, Rashleigh Morris, and Sonn Ngai.
This exhibition is also an initiative of the Africa-Caribbean Students' Club at The University of the West Indies, Mona.
Opening night
Exhibited works
View External links and Publications
Click here to read exhibition feature on The Gleaner
Click here to read exhibition feature on The Journal of Jamaican Art
Click here to read exhibition feature on Our Today
Click here to read exhibition feature on Loop News
Click here to read exhibition feature on Contemporary& América Latina (C&AL)
Excerpt from exhibition review in The Journal of Jamaican Art:
"In Spirit & In Truth (IS&IT) supersedes an exhibition—it is a ceremony hailing Blackness: Black culture, Afrikan Consciousness, and Black liberation. Together, IS&IT’s artists created a sanctum to honour Blackness, free from the biases imposed on Black artistic expression by the lingering remnants of eurocentrism and white imperialism—systems that have long sought to categorize Afrikan identity as taboo, barbarian, or hedonistic.
IS&IT embodies Afrikan retention through its embrace of Afrikan ancestral religious practices. At its heart sits an altar, centring the exhibition, with the works of Black artists surrounding it—an arrangement reminiscent of ancestral offerings, honouring their memory, presence, and enduring influence on this living plain. Each piece presents a unique perspective on our consciousness, yet collectively, they form a unified ode to Blackness.
Initially, I assumed the variety was coincidental, but the exhibition Manifesto—penned by its curator and artist, Kevarney K.R—revealed that this diversity was the master plan. IS&IT is a powerful reminder that Black liberation rejects both the isolation and reduction of the Afrikan experience to the continent’s natives, and includes its diaspora. It also challenges the romanticization of pre-colonial Afrika, and embraces the full, complex spectrum of Black identity.
IS&IT affirms Afrika’s vastness which transcends the continent, and encompasses the voices, cultures, and realities of Black people worldwide. IS&IT admonishes the vital contributions of all Black voices to our collective enlightenment, fostering a shared consciousness that propels us toward ultimate liberation. IS&IT set a very high bar, which I hope will inspire others to create in ways that honours both our culture and our ancestors.
--- by Nash, L
Excerpt from exhibition feature in The Gleaner:
"At the centre of the room inside the Olympia Mini Gallery (OMG) at 202 Old Hope Road in Papine, St Andrew, there is a relatively small thanksgiving table on which there are various objects, including potted plants, evincing various messages. There are potted crotons and snake plants on the ground, likewise enamelled basins of water, at the bottom of which coins are scattered.
On the walls surrounding the table are paintings from featured artists: Justeen Bailey, Kamala Davis, Dwayne Grant, Daniel Harrison, Rashleigh Morris, Sonn Ngai and Kevarney K. R. Near to the southern end of the table, in a space in the wall, the Suzanna Missenberger’s ‘Altar for the sea’, consisting mainly of natural objects, is mounted.
There is also the ‘Altar for the Countless, Nameless Congolese Children,’ the centrepiece of which is a painting titled ‘Portrait of the Countless, Nameless Congolese Children’ by Kevarney K. R. Together, they compose an exhibition called, ‘In Spirit In Truth.’ Kevarney K. R. and Suzanna Missenberger are also the curators of the show, which opened on Thursday, February 27.
Embedded within the artworks are concepts of Afrikan/Afro-Jamaican spirituality, Afrikan retention, altar mounting, ancestral veneration, atavism, ritual practices, sacred space, signs, seals and symbols, and spirit or vital force. It is a very interesting juxtaposition of art with spirituality, art being encased in spirituality and spirituality exuding from the art on show."
--- by Paul H. Williams.