The $100m murals of Kingston
Published:Friday | December 27, 2024 | 12:07 AM
The vibrant murals by Kingston Creative are transforming the streets and perception of downtown Kingston, with its latest client being the Bank of Jamaica (BOJ).
The organisation aims to develop leisure and business within these communities.
For over six years, some 108 murals have been painted on the walls of buildings in the capital city at an estimated cost of $100 million, according to Andrea Dempster Chung, co-founder and managing director of Kingston Creative, a non-profit company spearheading the work there.
“A mural is priced by the square footage (sq ft),” she told the Financial Gleaner.
The organisation pays about $1,200 per sq ft to the lead artists, and there are also assistant artists who prime the walls, masons to repair the walls, and so on.
“On average, a mural costs from $600,000 up to $1.5 million,” she said, adding that the most spent on one totalled $2.2 million.
The muralisation of downtown Kingston seeks to enhance the value of an area often regarded as derelict and plagued by poverty.
“We want to develop a vibrant, inclusive art district and a creative hub,” the company said on its website.
Dempster Chung said that between two and four people work on each mural, with many of them residing in nearby communities such as Parade Gardens, an area known for outbreaks of violence, and in which a Zone of Special Operation was declared in 2022. As such, these murals provide work for the scores of artisans and artists in the area.
A survey of the mural artists shows that most are professionals with over five years’ involvement.
“Some 60 per cent of them have worked with us more than three times,” Dempster Chung said.
The murals also act as promotion and referrals for other art projects in Montego Bay, Negril, Falmouth, Black River, and Ocho Rios. These projects are being commissioned by public- and private-sector interests alike.
For instance, the BOJ and Kingston Creative are “partnering” to create a $1-million mural in downtown Kingston’s art district. The mural will span a 45-by 20-foot wall on Water Lane. It will highlight the “essence” of Jamaican life and “everyday activities of Jamaicans”, according to the open call on Kingston Creative’s site. Artists have until January 5, 2025 to submit their sketches for consideration.
Deputy director of Kingston Creative Janet Crick said the murals have been inviting, causing people to feel at home in the community.
“The artwork tours get people to feel comfortable walking downtown, exploring downtown, and seeing everything that’s here, because many people just don’t have any idea. The National Gallery has been here for decades, but how many people have actually visited?” she said.
The art district has also attracted international attention, with global sports brand PUMA shooting videos in the area, and celebrities such as recording artiste Estelle and retired American track and field star Michael Johnson posting their pictures on social media.
Critics argue that art projects can contribute to gentrification and rising rents, potentially displacing residents who do not own their homes. However, Dempster Chung remains committed to ensuring that these developments improve the lives of the people of downtown Kingston.
“We are very committed to Jamaica first,” she said. “It would be easy to import a bunch of artists from Miami and wherever, to come and do amazing artwork. But it’s very important that our artists build up their capacity; and we think that with the space we have given them over the last few years, we have seen their skill level increase.”