From 24 Mar – 3 Apr 2016, the South London Gallery hosted In Fine Style: The Dancehall Art of Wilfred Limonious. The exhibition payed homage to the Jamaican folk artist whose vibrant and often humorous work has inspired legions of artists and creators.
Jamaican graphic artist, Wilfred Limonious (1949-1999), had a prolific and storied career that was as fascinating and colorful as the art he created. Luminous, who started his career as a cartoonist for the Jamaican newspaper, The Star, got involved in other projects and became best known for his design contributions to JAMAL (Jamaican Movement for the Advancement of Literacy) and the Jamaican music industry. The exhibition, which is on tour and will be on display at five UK galleries, seeks to bring attention to the relatively unknown and under appreciated artist.
In Fine Style focuses primarily on the work Limonious’ contributed to dancehall and reggae music, but is separated into three sections: his comic strips, his work for JAMAL and his music designs. The exhibition is located in the Clore Gallery, which is an intimate space and the perfect setting for the small but colorful display.
The exhibition opens at the beginning of Limonious’ career with a selection of his comics. The most famous of these, Amos and Chicken, puts the artist’s wit, masterful handling of ink and paper and unique aesthetic on display. This early work, the precursor to his later, more famous music design, is a wonderful introduction to the artist as it not only establishes his style, but also contextualizes his cultural background, which is so pivotal to his work. Jamaica framed and shaped Luminous’ work in a major way, this became especially apparent when we was recruited as an in-house illustrator for JAMAL to design graphics that helped Jamaicans learn to read.
The highlight of In Fine Style is the distinctive work that Limonious did for the reggae or dancehall scene that was just beginning to blossom in 1980s Jamaica. After gaining fame for his work as a comic and JAMAL illustrator, Limonious was hired to create the album art for Jah Thomas’s LP, Shoulder Move. Limonious’ witty illustration was a hit and he quickly became the go-to artist for album design in Jamaica. During his career, Limonious illustrated hundreds of album and LP covers and became a linchpin in the 80s reggae circle.
The exhibition was small but does a wonderful job of paying tribute to a man so influential in both the Jamaican art and reggae worlds. While he is still relatively unknown outside of his home country, his work is gaining increasing popularity and has influenced and inspired the design and aesthetics of several current bands, including Major Lazer. The vibrancy, uniqueness and distinctly Jamaican style of Limonious’ work is captivating and, while the exhibition includes only a mere sampling of his bountiful body of work, it is easy to get sucked into the wit, simplicity and richness of the art.
The exhibition has now come to an end at the South London Gallery, but it is on tour around the UK.
Exhibition Tour:
New Art Exchange, Nottingham 7 Nov 2015 – 14 Jan 2016
Colston Hall, Bristol 22 Jan – 6 Mar 2016
South London Gallery, 24 Mar – 3 Apr 2016
Gallery Oldham 8 Apr – 6 May 2016
Tabernacle, London 23 – 29 May 2016
