Roy Reid (21 December 1937 – 10 January 2009) was a
Jamaican painter active from 1968 to 2009. He was best known for his paintings depicting the Jamaican people and dress and those with themes of devastation such as fires, which often have moral and spiritual meaning.
Biography
Born in
Portland, Jamaica
Portland, with its capital city, capital town Port Antonio, is a Parishes of Jamaica, parish located on Jamaica's northeast coast. It is situated to the north of Saint Thomas Parish, Jamaica, St Thomas and to the east of Saint Mary Parish, Ja ...
, Reid was born to farming parents but dropped out of school at the age of 11 because he couldn't read, only learning later at the age of 34 by reading the
bible
The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts of a ...
.
He later moved to
Kingston to pursue a career.
Reid was regarded in his native country as one of the important figures among Jamaican 'intuitive' artists, generally those who are outsiders of the main schools of artistic activity and social circles on the island, especially as he was self-taught.
[The Caribbean Collection](_blank)
/ref> Reid has made many notable exhibitions of his artwork, the Self Taught Artist Exhibition at the Institute of Jamaica in 1971, Eight Jamaican Primitives in Havana
Havana (; Spanish: ''La Habana'' ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of the La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center. , Cuba
Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
in 1976; The Intuitive Eye at the National Gallery of Jamaica
The National Gallery of Jamaica, in Kingston, Jamaica, is Jamaica's public art museum. It was established in 1974 and is located in the Kingston Mall, a commercial and cultural center on Kingston harbour. The National Gallery of Jamaica also has ...
in 1979, the Jamaican Intuitives in Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton () is a city, metropolitan borough and administrative centre in the West Midlands, England. The population size has increased by 5.7%, from around 249,500 in 2011 to 263,700 in 2021. People from the city are called "Wulfrunian ...
, England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
and a Caribbean exhibition at the Un Nouveau Regard sur Les Caribes at Courbevoie
Courbevoie () is a commune located in the Hauts-de-Seine Department of the Île-de-France region of France. It is in the suburbs of the city of Paris, from the center of Paris. The centre of Courbevoie is situated from the city limits of Par ...
, France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
in 1992. As from the National Gallery, in Jamaica he has given various exhibitions at Makonde Gallery, Pegasus Hotel in 1981, Bolivar Gallery in 1982 and the Mutual Life Gallery in 1987.
Death
Reid was found dead in the workshop of his St. Andrew home by his wife Mabel Reid on the morning of 10 January 2009. At the time, Reid was said to be suffering from prostate cancer, an enlarged heart and diabetes.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Reid, Roy
1937 births
2009 deaths
20th-century Jamaican painters