The Olympia Art Gallery in Saint Andrew

Nestled in the heart of Kingston, Jamaica’s capital city, the Olympia Gallery stands as a testament to the island’s rich artistic heritage and its thriving contemporary art scene. What’s interesting about this gallery is that it is housed inside a residential complex, designed and built in the mid-1970s by Jamaican civil engineer A.D. Scott. As an avid art patron and sometime sculptor, he wanted to create a residential hotel within a centre for the arts. Forty years later, his vision still lives on. Here’s why you should pay a visit to this free art gallery in Kingston, Jamaica: the Olympia Gallery.

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How to Find the Olympia Gallery

The Olympia Gallery is located at 202 Old Hope Road, just across from the main entrance to the University of Technology (UTech) in Papine, Jamaica. Despite its central location, it still remains a relatively hidden gem as not a lot of Jamaicans are even aware of its existence, outside of the artist community. The Olympia Gallery is free to visit and is open Tuesdays to Saturdays from 10am to 4pm. Currently, Olympia has the largest private exhibition space on the island and is located inside a spacious octagonal three storey building and canopied by a huge plexi-glass domed roof. The grounds also feature various interesting sculptures, an art supply centre and framing shop.

‘And I Resumed the Struggle’ 2023 Exhibition

Each year, Olympia hosts several exhibitions and its current exhibition is called “… and I resumed the struggle (A.I.R.T.S.).” A.I.R.T.S. is an artist-led exhibition series which opened on December 7 and is set to close on January 27, 2024. It features 20 artists and the pieces were quite thought-provoking which I enjoyed a lot. My favourites were:

• Jahmani Council’s Potty Circle: a silver replica toilet was done to make light of the recent serious public health and food safety violation caught on video where a crab vendor was seen relieving herself with a bucket at her stall by the popular Heroes Circle near Downtown, Kingston which is renown for its street food. Prior to this incident, the vendors had no access to restrooms!
• Greg Bailey’s ‘Pold: an oil painting on canvas where a judge’s wig is impaled by a spear. I think it sends a powerful message about a sentiment which many Jamaicans, including myself, share: that we need to do away with our colonial ties, especially the one where Jamaican judges and the Speaker of the House parade around in these silly Eurocentric wigs.
• Phillip Thomas’ Road Menders: these labourers are unsung heroes in a country filled with pothole riddled roads.
• Sharon Norwood’s Me, My Self and I: this archival ink on Epson archival paper celebrates the glorious tiny kinks and coils of natural hair which we were taught to hate and straighten as soon as we came of age as women. I’m happy Afro-textured natural hair is now more accepted globally, but we still have a far way to go. Sheena Rose’s Process, an acrylic on canvas, also highlights the beauty of our coily Afros.

Special shoutout to my high school art teacher, Audrey Lynch, who has four ink on canvas pieces in the exhibit too.

A.I.R.T.S. is truly a beautiful exhibit and one you should try to see for yourself if you can. Find pictures of all the pieces here in Issuu, as well as their prices (many of the pieces are on sale) and more about the artists. Even if you miss this one, feel free to visit any time to check out their permanent collection and perhaps you may stumble upon their next exhibit. They host several throughout the year.

A.D. Scott’s Legacy

Ainsworth David Scott, also known as A.D. Scott or Scottie, was the designer and builder of the Olympia Gallery. Born in Kingston, Jamaica in 1912, Scott attended the Kingston College then later studied civil engineering at the McGill University in Montreal, Canada. In 1945, Scott returned to Jamaica and was named Resident Engineer at the University of the West Indies in 1949. During his tenure, he oversaw the construction of the university’s first permanent buildings to replace the World War II wooden barracks which had been the original lecture rooms, labs, offices and accommodations. Most famously, Scott oversaw the dismantling, relocation and reassembly of a massive 18th century limestone building from the Hampden Estate in Trelawny on Jamaica’s north coast to the UWI Mona campus which is now used as the illustrious University Chapel. Scott was also involved in the engineering of several prominent Kingston landmarks, such as the Norman Manley International Airport, the National Stadium and Jamaica’s first multi-storey apartment building at Manor Park.

Throughout his professional life, Scott passionately championed the development of Jamaican visual arts. He accumulated the island’s largest collection of artworks from various traditional and contemporary Jamaican artists. Today, his collection can be found with 25 pieces inside the Main Library at the University of the West Indies, 62 pieces inside the National Gallery of Jamaica in Downtown, Kingston, and also at the Olympia Gallery. Olympia’s construction was his last major building project, after which, he turned his main focus on Jamaican art and his own personal painting and sculpture until his passing in 2004 at age 92 years.

Wrap Up

The Olympia Gallery stands as a beacon of artistic brilliance in Jamaica, contributing to the nation’s cultural legacy. Whether you’re a seasoned art enthusiast or a casual visitor like myself, the Olympia Gallery invites you to witness the beauty and creativity that defines Jamaica’s artistic soul. Have you ever visited the Olympia Gallery? Would you like to visit? Sound off in the comments section below.

If you enjoyed this article, you may also like:

• Reggae Month in Jamaica
• The National Gallery in Kingston
• 6 Sculptures Which Define Kingston
• 8 Jamaican Music Festivals You Can’t Miss

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