KINGSTON, Jamaica— Jamaican-born, New York-based visual artist Cheery Stewart-Josephs has made her return to the local art scene with ROOTED, a two-day exhibition that began on Thursday and will end on Friday night at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in Kingston.
The showcase, which Stewart-Josephs describes as a celebration of identity, resilience and rebirth, marks her long-awaited homecoming after years of honing her craft overseas.
Raised in the cool hills of Manchester, Stewart-Josephs began drawing and painting from an early age, developing much of her skill through self-teaching. She later studied briefly at the Edna Manley School of Art and the Visual School of Arts in New York City, before continuing her independent journey as a visual artist.
Her early work quickly attracted attention, including from noted art critic Ansel Walters, founder of the Trafalgar Artist Cooperative. She would go on to join the group of practising artists who ran a roadside gallery along Trafalgar Road in Kingston in the 1970s — an era that played a pivotal role in shaping modern Jamaican art.
Since then, Stewart-Josephs has built an impressive career abroad, earning international recognition. In 2021, she was among the artists selected for Art in August, a special virtual exhibition organised by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
Now, with ROOTED, she brings it full circle — unveiling 21 new works that blend traditional and contemporary Jamaican forms, while telling stories of heritage, endurance, and transformation.
The exhibition opened with an evening reception on Thursday, August 21 at 7:00 pm, followed by a pop-up showcase on Friday, August 22 from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm.
Art lovers, collectors, and the wider cultural community are invited to experience Stewart-Josephs’ work, which continues to draw deeply from her Jamaican roots while reflecting her growth as an artist on the global stage.
ROOTED is not just an exhibition, but a homecoming — an opportunity to reconnect with the spirit of Jamaican identity through the eyes of a daughter of the soil who has carried its heartbeat with her across continents.
