Panamerican Art Projects

David Boxer, Omari Ra, Stanford Watson and Paul Stoppi From May 12th through Jun 16th, 2007Panamerican Art Projects located in Wynwood Art District is presenting a collective exhibition devoted to Jamaican art. With the intention to show different aspects of Contemporary Jamaican art, the gallery has invited well recognized artists such as David Boxer and Milton George as well as younger artists like Omari Ra, Stanford Watson and Paul Stoppi. David Boxer, artist and art historian, was educated at Cornell University, Ithaca, New York and at Johns Hopkins University. As an art historian he has published extensively about Jamaican art, having authored most of the pioneer texts on the subject. As an artist his work has been representing the country in prestigious biennials such as the Sao Paulo and Havana and Santo Domingo. Boxer work is autobiographical. He uses his one image for some of the pieces and in others reflects how determined events have affected him. These events, most of them of historical nature, marked his generation. Among them we can mention the Second World War, especially Hiroshima’s bomb. Other recurrent theme is slavery, which consequences are visible in the Jamaican society today. Omari Ra was educated at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts. He works with diverse materials including dirt and human hair, sometimes in an experimental approach. His work is related to the struggles of the African descendents in the Caribbean and their place in the contemporary society. He is very political and provocative, and his works are made with the intention of being controversial. Stanford Watson was also educated at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts. His work is characterized by the use of heavy impasto and recently the use of X-Rays reflecting social problems in a subtle way. Stanford is commenting from a personal point of view how the society is still functioning at a neo-colonialist pace. In the Project Room, there will be the work of photographer Paul Stoppi, which adds a special touch to the surroundings with his eclectic images that often expose a humorous note.