FEATURED ARTIST: Jennie Baptiste

Twice in the last 6 months, London based photographer, Jennie Baptiste has touched down in the land of the Maroons (Accompong Town), on the island of Jamaica, in an effort to share the vibes of one of the Caribbean’s most recognized groups of self-liberated peoples. On her first trip, six young adults traveled and photographed with her (see Cultureserve Issue #4). Her second trip, sans youth, coincided with Jamaica’s annual Maroon Day (Jan 6). People from the countryside, around the globe, both young and old, as well as dancehall queens dressed to the nines, shared in the reverie and celebration of over 250+ years of Black independence at the biggest celebration of the holiday, the Accompong Maroon Festival. Jennie B.’s work coincides with the celebration in England and the English speaking Caribbean of the 200th anniversary of the end of the British trans-atlantic slave trade. In contrast, the US has yet to acknowledge the 200th anniversary of Jan. 1, 1808, the day the importation of slaves into the United States was prohibited.

Jennie B.’s work has appeared in museums and galleries across Europe including the traveling shows, Black British Style (2006) and Hip Hop Immortals (2004).  After a local show in Fort Greene, Brooklyn (2007), she was invited to donate work to Russell Simmons’ Rush Philanthropic Foundation - Art for Life Benefit (2007) and continues to make moves stateside with a show on tap for 2008 in New York City. Her images of the Maroons will be exhibited alongside her youth photo brigade’s work in 2008 at The Museum in Docklands (London) and The Institute of Jamaica (Jamaica).

(Images: Dancehall Queens, Accompong Maroon Festival, Jamaica 2008 (top and bottom right), Jennie Baptiste (bottom left))