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As the sands have shifted in the Caribbean art world, so has my work. Over the past 15 years I've worn several hats. I’ve managed a gallery, driven innovative exhibition programmes, curated and implemented successful art auctions, worked with corporate and private collections, and corporate art programmes. I also deal in the secondary art market, and work closely with emerging contemporary artists developing markets for their work.
With the emergence of social media and the regional and global access that brings to the local, there has been a growing sense of connection between, and cohesion of, visual culture from and of the Caribbean. This increase in access has allowed space for more partnership, exchange, collaboration, funding development and a growing sense of regionality in our art communities. There has also been a steady development of very tangible and extremely valuable work in art publications, art spaces, conferences, exhibitions, residencies and scholarship. Its a promising and exciting time for contemporary visual culture in the Caribbean and although we all still face various challenges, the work continues to develop very much in response to the needs of the region’s art community.
Is wha' Suzie a gwaan wid?
My site Suzie Wong Presents, ‘The Caribbean, Seen’ (SWP) will be focussed on developing emerging contemporary artists’ careers in current and new markets. I will be prioritising the presence and work of artists of the Global Caribbean by increasing their visibility and creating a sense of cohesion of the contemporary visual culture. The aim is to reach new audiences, and create and facilitate new opportunities for artists by way of cultivating a wider collector base, curator interest, exhibition opportunities, Global North gallery representation, and residency programmes. By innovating a new way of ‘seeing’ the Caribbean for diverse audiences beyond our shores and advocating for artists in regional and international spaces and markets we will pioneer a new presence.
The online platform offers:
access to available works and activity by exciting emerging contemporary artists in the Global Caribbean;
a commercial gallery space for the secondary art market, predominantly Jamaican;
a platform for the viewing and development of the Suzie Wong Collection;
highlights of residencies, projects, exhibitions, conferences and art events throughout the region;
a bi-annual Newsletter streamlining all SWP news and updates on regional activity and resources.
The Suzie Wong Summertime 2018
SWP is now active and live on Artsy! Artsy is a global art market platform with the most effective user algorithm, and so is the most commercially successful art collector site in the global market.
This partnership will be key in positioning SWP’s work in a huge network of galleries, and to a diverse and expansive collector base. We are thrilled to be one of only two Caribbean based art initiatives currently present on Artsy.
Please visit our page and follow either us, or specific artists for new works notifications and event information.
Leasho Johnson’s ‘New Works 2018’
Leasho's catalogue of 'New Works' was housed online at pre launch SWP in May 2018, and was a huge success. We are both very happy with the outcome, and this has given even more impetus to SWP's development of its mission. Leasho is now happily ensconced at SAIC in Chicago in his Post Grad Degree.
To view Leasho's new Works catalogue please email: suzie@suziewongpresents.com
‘Required Reading’ @1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair, London
SWP partnered with UK’s non-profit 198 CAL in October 2018, for 1:54’s Special Projects programme with 'Required Reading', a showcasing of work by two Jamaican artists, Leasho Johnson and Monique Gilpin. Both artists engage with issues of identity, particularly as they relate to the Black body - its' objectification, its wounds, its power and the unrelenting tensions of navigating identity in a post plantation society and economy. The digital work produced draws on the work of Jamaican-born cultural theorist Stuart Hall and his investigation into the processes of identity location in 'being' and 'becoming', and how these dynamics work in contemporary Jamaica’s visual culture.
This was the first Jamaican presence at 1:54, SWP's first international partnership with 198 CAL, and SWP's first foray into the Art Fair world. Our project was well received by many and has sparked new conversations and opportunities. We would like to thank 1:54 for the opportunity and all who supported us!
So to the future!! We continue the work and the site is soon set to launch. Projects are underway behind the scenes, and we’d love to have your support.
Subscribe to https://www.suziewongpresents.com/subscribe-page for updates and news!!