403:"Working in a faded-tapestry palette of mostly black, dark brown and white tinted with green, rose and yellow, he energized his images with disorienting shifts in scale, perspective and form. Bushes and trees suggest large vegetables or flowers; chopped-off tree trunks intimate water pipes, corncobs or phalluses. The branches they sprout are often trees unto themselves. Numerous paths and lanes disappear into dark forests or tunnels while reinforcing the flatness of the canvas."
283:
populate the landscape. In some, the black outlines of sparse vegetation are silhouetted against the sky. Though less confined, the works are still disquieting. Surreal touches, such as the isolated platform in "Springboard", leaves pushing up through the cracks in "Feeding the Fishes" and the unstable support in "Footbridge" contribute to the sense of unease.
278:
Eros/Thantos concept, is also in evidence. Small mammals, crabs, birds and often spiders with their complex webs, inhabit the gloomy woods. Human figures are rare, though human presence is implied by an occasional house painted in the distance or at the edge of a wood. Dunkley's most persistent motif
265:
While continuing to ply his trade as a barber, Dunkley maintained his artistic pursuits. Active for little more than a decade before his early death, his output as a painter was small. Less than 50 paintings are known, but they reveal a unique and compelling aesthetic. There is no clearly discernible
273:
landscapes replete with hidden symbolism. The surfaces are delicate and tapestry-like. Fantastic vegetation, trees and shrubs with overblown flowers, are contrasted with bare truncated branches, in a way that encourages the viewer's understanding of them as phallic symbols. A preoccupation with the
211:
Dunkley's scenes are full of references to the unsettling political, economic and social conditions roiling colonial
Jamaica in the 1930s and 1940s. The work reflects the racial tension, economic inequality and desire for self-government felt by Jamaicans and other Caribbean islanders. His creative
321:
During his lifetime, Dunkley received some local recognition for his artwork as a result of group exhibitions. In 1938, a carving of a reindeer (since destroyed) won a prize at St. George's
Exhibition in Kingston. The following year, Dunkley received a bronze medal for "notable contribution to the
282:
A distinct group of less claustrophobic paintings are thought to be his last. In "Lonely Road", "Springboard", "Woman
Feeding Fish" and "Footbridge", the typically dense vegetation gives way to more expansive vistas and clearer skies. The backgrounds are white rather than grey. Far fewer elements
198:
He returned to
Chiriqui, where he set up a barbershop and started painting in his spare time, encouraged by Clarence Rock, a prominent Panamanian photographer. Sometime between 1926 and 1930, Dunkley returned to Jamaica, establishing his barbering business on lower Princess Street in Kingston. He
407:
The
National Gallery of Jamaica's version contained work not shown at PAMM that explored the themes of tourism, immigration and the emergence of cultural nationalism during Dunkley's lifetime. "Daylight Come…Picturing Dunkley’s Jamaica" served as a complement to "John Dunkley: Neither Day nor
147:
Dunkley's early life was filled with both adversity and adventure, which may account, in part, for his unique artistic vision. At the age of seven, an accident damaged one of his eyes, affecting his ability to learn in school. As a result, he was sent for by his father who was living in
313:
Dunkley's small body of sculptures, primarily wood-carvings, are less complicated/accomplished than his paintings. In addition to "Sandy Gully" (1940), notable works include "Old Joe", an intense portrait of a black man clasping his knees while bent in prayer, and "Acrobat", a
191:, sent out the Masons' distress signal, which was answered by a lodge member on a passing ship. Welcomed aboard, he signed on as a sailor, traveling to England, Scotland, North and South America and numerous other places. He may also have worked on the construction of the
212:
output also coincided with the search for forms of "authentic" Jamaican expression that preceded the independence movement. Above all, though, Dunkley's oeuvre is a singular exploration of a complicated and often-dark personal and cultural identity.
370:, 9 December 1976 to 19 February 1977. With the resurrection of a fair percentage of his oeuvre in the retrospective and a subsequent permanent display of his work, Dunkley regained his position as a true Jamaican master.
354:. A retrospective of Dunkley's work, with fellow intuitive artist Henry Daley, was exhibited in 1960 at the Institute of Jamaica. In 1969, the painting "Diamond Wedding" was shown at "Art in Jamaica Since the Thirties" at
279:
is the pathway or road, which sometimes pushes through the vegetation to suggest great depth. In "Back to Nature" (circa 1939), the path, impressed with footprints, bifurcates to encircle a heart-shaped grave.
333:
Dunkley was in failing health for many months prior to his death. He passed away at 55 years of age, probably from lung cancer, on 17 February 1947. His large funeral was attended by both rich and poor.
408:
Night." It included rare photographs, artifacts and film footage from the turn of the 20th century to the
Jamaican Nationalist movement, providing further context to Dunkley's output.
381:
was composed of forty-five works, paintings from the 1930s and 1940s, as well as rare carved wood and stone figures. A monograph of same title was published on the occasion.
326:. Three works, "Back to Nature", "Jerboa" and "Pastures" were exhibited at the Institute of Jamaica's 1945 Survey of West Indian Painting, a show that also traveled to
362:. Dunkley was represented by two pieces, "Jerboa" and "Back to Nature" in the exhibition "Three Decades of Jamaican Painting" at Commonwealth Institute Art Gallery in
765:
155:
Deprived of his father's wealth, Dunkley started earning his own livelihood. Like many of his impoverished black countrymen, he sought work throughout the
199:
covered the entirety of the shop's exterior with small painted signs depicting flowers, trees and vines. H. Delves
Molesworth, then Secretary of the
865:
855:
438:
384:
The show traveled to the
National Gallery of Jamaica, where it was on display from 29 April 2018 to 29 July 2018, and it was then on display at the
860:
741:
266:
development in
Dunkley's work. Anticipating impending fame, the artist kept his paintings and persisted in refining, even overworking, them.
203:, was attracted by the paintings. A key figure in the early Jamaican art movement, the young Englishman encouraged Dunkley to keep painting.
813:
690:
658:
870:
580:
187:
when an armed upheaval took place. He lost all of his belongings, but was spared his life. According to his wife, Dunkley, who was a
638:
342:
Following his death, Dunkley's reputation grew. In 1948, he was honored with a memorial exhibition at the
Institute of Jamaica.
249:
Dunkley was deeply involved in the socio-political issues of his day, in particular the rampant racism that saw him become a
780:
139:
painter and sculptor. Though his fame is largely posthumous, he is considered one of the island's most significant artists.
323:
152:. Upon arrival, the teen-aged Dunkley discovered his father had recently died and was buried the day before he landed.
367:
516:
875:
374:
310:
cut down for the military base, he carved a seated portrait of a proud Jamaican man and named him "Sandy Gully".
179:
where he worked in Panama would later inspire a number of his paintings. He reportedly started out from Cuba for
385:
736:. John Dunkley, David Boxer, Olive Senior, Nicole Smythe-Johnson, PĂ©rez Art Museum Miami. New York, NY.
546:
351:
295:
596:
850:
845:
291:
200:
164:
216:
224:
294:
is shown gathering flocks of sheep, while in the distance a few straggly goats run away. When the
286:
Dunkley was inspired occasionally by current events. There is a mixed media piece depicting boxer
759:
240:
235:. His work is generally darker in tone, and has been described as sharing characteristics with
788:
747:
737:
634:
576:
318:
carving of a man contorting himself with his head between his legs and beneath his posterior.
176:
48:
359:
220:
160:
630:
355:
228:
715:
Foster, Thomas (16 July 1970). "United States Bases in Jamaica During the 1939-45 War".
377:(PAMM) held the first major exhibition of Dunkley's work outside of his native country.
250:
243:
172:
44:
839:
389:
254:
623:
307:
303:
299:
192:
466:
330:. Four paintings including "Banana Plantation" were exhibited in London in 1946.
236:
232:
188:
350:
In 1951, his painting "Jerboa" was shown at the First Caribbean Exhibition in
270:
180:
168:
792:
751:
366:(1971). An exhibition of Dunkley's paintings and sculptures was held at the
287:
184:
156:
731:
315:
275:
439:"American Folk Art Museum presents John Dunkley: Neither Day nor Night"
136:
363:
327:
149:
239:'s paintings. Some critics see commonality with the work of French
306:, Dunkley made a painting of the president. From a large piece of
814:"Art Exhibition: John Dunkley at the National Gallery of Jamaica"
781:"John Dunkley, an Outsider Artist Deep in the Heart of Jamaica"
659:"Work of Jamaican artist John Dunkley on display in New York"
399:
review about Dunkley's work, critic Roberta Smith states that
215:
He is associated with a group of Jamaican artists known as "
290:. In the "Good Shepherd" (circa 1938), populist politician
135:(10 December 1891 – 17 February 1947) was a self-taught
597:"Jamaicans in the U.S. Mourn Passing of Albert Huie"
122:
114:
80:
72:
56:
30:
23:
622:
571:Coates, Robert; Henzell, Laura (18 August 2015).
373:From 26 May 2017 through 14 January 2018, the
8:
392:from 30 October 2018 to 24 February 2019.
223:, David Miller Senior, David Miller Junior,
764:: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (
685:
683:
681:
679:
20:
733:John Dunkley : neither day nor night
461:
459:
433:
431:
429:
427:
425:
423:
421:
629:. Crabtree Publishing Company. p.
511:
509:
507:
417:
757:
540:
538:
505:
503:
501:
499:
497:
495:
493:
491:
489:
487:
274:link between eroticism and death, the
118:The Intuitives, Art brut, Outsider art
547:"John Dunkley: Neither Day nor Night"
7:
657:Simon, Alexandra (27 October 2018).
545:Poupeye, Veerle (28 November 2017).
269:Most of the paintings are imagined,
379:John Dunkley: Neither Day nor Night
779:Smith, Roberta (24 January 2019).
14:
521:National Gallery of Jamaica Blog
866:20th-century Jamaican sculptors
856:People from Westmoreland Parish
861:20th-century Jamaican painters
575:(6th ed.). Rough Guides.
1:
16:Jamaican painter (1991–2012)
368:National Gallery of Jamaica
892:
573:The Rough Guide to Jamaica
517:"John Dunkley (1891-1947)"
467:"John Dunkley (1891-1947)"
871:20th-century male artists
322:art of the world" at the
386:American Folk Art Museum
296:Roosevelt administration
621:Wilson, Amber (2004).
405:
375:PĂ©rez Art Museum Miami
302:at Sandy Gully during
219:". The group includes
401:
352:San Juan, Puerto Rico
346:Relevant Exhibitions
324:New York World's Fair
730:Nawi, Diana (2017).
645:john dunkley artist.
625:Jamaica: The culture
292:Alexander Bustamante
201:Institute of Jamaica
785:The New York Times
523:. 24 December 2009
253:and an admirer of
241:Post-Impressionist
100:Feeding the Fishes
818:Repeating Islands
743:978-3-7913-5610-5
177:banana plantation
130:
129:
90:Banana Plantation
67:Kingston, Jamaica
49:Colony of Jamaica
883:
876:Outsider artists
830:
829:
827:
825:
810:
804:
803:
801:
799:
776:
770:
769:
763:
755:
727:
721:
720:
717:Stamp Collecting
712:
706:
705:
703:
701:
695:Diaspora Artists
687:
674:
673:
671:
669:
654:
648:
647:
628:
618:
612:
611:
609:
607:
593:
587:
586:
568:
562:
561:
559:
557:
542:
533:
532:
530:
528:
513:
482:
481:
479:
477:
463:
454:
453:
451:
449:
435:
360:Atlanta, Georgia
221:Mallica Reynolds
83:
63:
60:17 February 1947
51:, British Empire
41:10 December 1891
40:
38:
21:
891:
890:
886:
885:
884:
882:
881:
880:
836:
835:
834:
833:
823:
821:
812:
811:
807:
797:
795:
778:
777:
773:
756:
744:
729:
728:
724:
714:
713:
709:
699:
697:
689:
688:
677:
667:
665:
656:
655:
651:
641:
620:
619:
615:
605:
603:
595:
594:
590:
583:
570:
569:
565:
555:
553:
544:
543:
536:
526:
524:
515:
514:
485:
475:
473:
471:Petrine Archer
465:
464:
457:
447:
445:
437:
436:
419:
414:
356:Spelman College
348:
340:
338:Posthumous fame
263:
229:David Pottinger
209:
145:
110:
106:Diamond Wedding
81:
68:
65:
61:
52:
42:
36:
34:
26:
17:
12:
11:
5:
889:
887:
879:
878:
873:
868:
863:
858:
853:
848:
838:
837:
832:
831:
820:. 19 June 2018
805:
771:
742:
722:
707:
691:"John Dunkley"
675:
663:Caribbean Life
649:
639:
613:
588:
582:978-0241181300
581:
563:
551:The Miami Rail
534:
483:
455:
416:
415:
413:
410:
397:New York Times
347:
344:
339:
336:
262:
259:
251:pan-Africanist
244:Henri Rousseau
217:The Intuitives
208:
205:
173:Camaguey, Cuba
159:, stopping in
144:
141:
128:
127:
124:
120:
119:
116:
112:
111:
109:
108:
103:
97:
92:
86:
84:
78:
77:
74:
73:Known for
70:
69:
66:
64:(aged 55)
58:
54:
53:
45:Savanna-la-Mar
43:
32:
28:
27:
24:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
888:
877:
874:
872:
869:
867:
864:
862:
859:
857:
854:
852:
849:
847:
844:
843:
841:
819:
815:
809:
806:
794:
790:
786:
782:
775:
772:
767:
761:
753:
749:
745:
739:
735:
734:
726:
723:
718:
711:
708:
696:
692:
686:
684:
682:
680:
676:
664:
660:
653:
650:
646:
642:
640:9780778793328
636:
632:
627:
626:
617:
614:
602:
598:
592:
589:
584:
578:
574:
567:
564:
552:
548:
541:
539:
535:
522:
518:
512:
510:
508:
506:
504:
502:
500:
498:
496:
494:
492:
490:
488:
484:
472:
468:
462:
460:
456:
444:
440:
434:
432:
430:
428:
426:
424:
422:
418:
411:
409:
404:
400:
398:
393:
391:
387:
382:
380:
376:
371:
369:
365:
361:
357:
353:
345:
343:
337:
335:
331:
329:
325:
319:
317:
311:
309:
305:
301:
297:
293:
289:
284:
280:
277:
272:
267:
260:
258:
256:
255:Marcus Garvey
252:
247:
245:
242:
238:
234:
230:
226:
225:Everald Brown
222:
218:
213:
206:
204:
202:
196:
194:
190:
186:
182:
178:
174:
170:
166:
162:
161:ColĂłn, Panama
158:
153:
151:
142:
140:
138:
134:
126:Cassie Fraser
125:
121:
117:
113:
107:
104:
101:
98:
96:
93:
91:
88:
87:
85:
79:
75:
71:
59:
55:
50:
46:
33:
29:
22:
19:
822:. Retrieved
817:
808:
796:. Retrieved
784:
774:
732:
725:
716:
710:
698:. Retrieved
694:
666:. Retrieved
662:
652:
644:
624:
616:
604:. Retrieved
600:
591:
572:
566:
554:. Retrieved
550:
525:. Retrieved
520:
474:. Retrieved
470:
446:. Retrieved
442:
406:
402:
396:
394:
383:
378:
372:
349:
341:
332:
320:
312:
308:Lignum Vitae
304:World War II
300:Vernam Field
285:
281:
271:surrealistic
268:
264:
248:
214:
210:
197:
193:Panama Canal
154:
146:
133:John Dunkley
132:
131:
105:
99:
94:
89:
82:Notable work
62:(1947-02-17)
25:John Dunkley
18:
851:1947 deaths
846:1891 births
824:19 December
700:19 December
668:20 December
606:20 December
556:20 December
527:18 December
476:19 December
448:18 December
443:ARTFIXdaily
237:Wifredo Lam
233:Albert Huie
95:Lonely Road
840:Categories
412:References
261:Later life
181:California
169:Costa Rica
167:, Panama;
143:Early life
37:1891-12-10
793:0362-4331
760:cite book
752:959594093
288:Joe Louis
189:Freemason
185:dentistry
183:to study
157:Caribbean
601:JIS News
390:New York
316:mahogany
276:Freudian
165:Chiriqui
137:Jamaican
115:Movement
76:Painting
791:
750:
740:
637:
579:
364:London
328:Canada
298:built
207:Career
150:Panama
123:Spouse
102:(1940)
798:9 May
395:In a
826:2018
800:2023
789:ISSN
766:link
748:OCLC
738:ISBN
702:2018
670:2018
635:ISBN
608:2018
577:ISBN
558:2018
529:2018
478:2018
450:2018
231:and
175:. A
171:and
57:Died
31:Born
388:in
358:in
257:.
195:.
842::
816:.
787:.
783:.
762:}}
758:{{
746:.
693:.
678:^
661:.
643:.
633:.
631:19
599:.
549:.
537:^
519:.
486:^
469:.
458:^
441:.
420:^
246:.
227:,
163:;
47:,
828:.
802:.
768:)
754:.
719:.
704:.
672:.
610:.
585:.
560:.
531:.
480:.
452:.
39:)
35:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.