Journal · Exhibitions · Kingston

Of Wood
and Water.

The Scotiabank Collection

An exhibition at the National Gallery of Jamaica exploring the island’s landscapes, people and the forces that shape their relationship.

Venue: National Gallery of Jamaica
12 Ocean Boulevard, Kingston
Exhibition: 14 June – 1 November 2026
Exhibition closed
Presented by: National Gallery of Jamaica, in partnership with Scotiabank Jamaica

Devonae Baldie viewing Untitled (1990) by Alexander Cooper.
Oil on canvas · Scotiabank Art Collection.

Land, people and change

Of Wood and Water brought together more than forty works from Scotiabank’s corporate art collection, alongside works from Jamaica’s National Collection. Its title refers to the Taíno name associated with Jamaica, commonly translated as “land of wood and water”.

The exhibition considered how the island and its inhabitants are shaped by time and change. Three chapters — Superposition, Metamorphism and Rupture — used geological concepts to frame relationships between the land and the people who live on it.

Storm Saulter looking at a painting and a sculpted head in a glass display case — **Storm Saulter** exploring the exhibition. The Jamaican filmmaker’s work includes *Better Mus’ Come*, *Sprinter* and the recent Sky series *Possession* (2026).

Two paintings by Heather Sutherland Wade, with flowers on the left and green hills on the right — **Heather Sutherland Wade** — *Greenwich in full bloom* (left) and *The hills are alive* (right), 2025.
Acrylic on canvas · Scotiabank Art Collection.

A framed painting of pedestrians on a busy street lined with stalls — **Ken Abendana Spencer**
A street scene on display.

Two paintings of people among colourful wooden buildings — People, buildings and everyday life.

A framed painting showing a seated figure beside a damaged wooden house — A scene of destruction and its aftermath.

A painting combining a seated figure with boats and architectural forms — **Ken Abendana Spencer**
A painting of figures and abstract forms.

About the exhibition

The exhibition opened on 14 June 2026. Originally scheduled to close on 13 September, it was extended until 1 November. The photographs above document works and gallery spaces from the exhibition; they are a selection rather than a complete catalogue.

View the original event listing