MEDIA: Jessica Drouet
305-929-9783
jessica@thinkbsg.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
HISTORYMIAMI SHOWCASES HISTORICAL PORTRAIT OF JAMAICA
WITH PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION
Awakening Jamaica is set to run from August 6, 2015 to November 1, 2015
Crossing a River, Courtesy of the Caribbean Photo Archive
MIAMI, FL (June 11, 2015) – In 1891, as Jamaica's economy was in the doldrums, a group of
local businessmen hired a world famous photography studio to take photographs portraying the
island as a commercial and touristic paradise. The images - taken by Valentine & Sons of
Scotland - have been privately collected and will go on display at HistoryMiami as part of the
museum's upcoming exhibition Awakening Jamaica: Photographs by Valentine & Sons, 1891,
on view from August 6 to November 1, 2015.
The photographs were exhibited at the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago in the Jamaica Pavilion, but
were mostly forgotten soon after, and the negatives were destroyed in 1961. Photo archivist
Patrick Montgomery of The Caribbean Photo Archive has been tracking down and acquiring
original prints of the 1891 photographs over the course of the last ten years. The prints will be
displayed together for the first time since the Chicago fair.
"This was an ambitious project for the time and, while it unfortunately did not directly lead to the
economic development for which it was intended, this project is historically relevant as an
invaluable documentary record of Jamaica at the end of the 19th century," said President / CEO
of HistoryMiami, Stuart A. Chase.
The groundwork for the exhibition began in 2013, when Montgomery donated a portfolio to
HistoryMiami’s collection containing eight prints, an historical map of Jamaica and a facsimile
copy of the 1893 book World’s Fair, Jamaica at Chicago; reawakening curiosity about the
photographs while creating the connection between Montgomery and the museum that led to this
exhibition.
On display will be more than 50 original prints and additional items from Montgomery’s private
collection. HistoryMiami will offer visitors the chance to learn about the creation and impact of
the images, featuring urban and unspoiled rural views of the island in the late 19th century.
Visitors will also be given the opportunity to learn about the art of photography at that time and
how the prints were made. Also on display will be archival items related to the studio of
Valentine & Sons and the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair.
"These photographs provide not only a glimpse into Jamaica's past, but also a representation of
the quality and beauty that 19th century photographers could achieve," said Montgomery.
“Original prints such as these, made directly from large glass negatives for the tourist market,
were soon after displaced by amateur snapshots and postcards, and became obsolete relics
banished to attics."
This is the second exhibition that is part of the activities of the HistoryMiami Center for
Photography, the first of its kind in the greater Miami area. The Center places curatorial
emphasis on documentary photography and its core mission is to collect, safeguard, and share the
images that tell the stories of our community and illuminate the Miami experience.
Additional Activity: Family Fun Day: Jamaica at The World’s Fair
Saturday, August 8, 2015
10AM – 5PM
Discover the era of American industrial optimism and learn about the 1893 World’s Fair Columbian
Exposition in Chicago as you engage with our new exhibition Awakening Jamaica: Photographs by
Valentine & Sons, 1891. Join in on the fun with craft activities, storytelling and more.
Free to the public.
Admission to the museum is $8 for adults, $7 for seniors and students with ID, $6 for children 612, and free for members and children under 6. Museum hours are: Monday-Saturday, 10 am-5
pm; Sunday, 12 pm-5 pm. For more information, call 305-375-1492 or visit historymiami.org.
About HistoryMiami
HistoryMiami, a Smithsonian affiliate, is the premier cultural institution committed to gathering,
organizing, preserving and celebrating Miami’s history as the unique crossroads of the Americas.
We accomplish this through education, collections, research, exhibitions, publications and city
tours.
About the Caribbean Photo Archive
The Caribbean Photo Archive is a private collection, owned by archivist Patrick Montgomery, of
original photographs taken throughout the Caribbean Islands, the Bahamas and Bermuda in the
19th century and early 20th century. Nearly every photographic format is represented including
daguerreotypes, salt prints, albumen prints, gelatin silver prints, stereocards, carte-de-visites,
cabinet cards, and glass slides.
About Smithsonian Affiliations
Smithsonian Affiliations is a national outreach program that develops long-term collaborative
partnerships with museums, educational, and cultural organizations to enrich communities with
Smithsonian resources. More information is available at www.affiliations.si.edu.
About the American Alliance of Museums
The American Alliance of Museums has been bringing museums together since 1906, helping to
develop standards and best practices, gathering and sharing knowledge, and providing advocacy
on issues of concern to the entire museum community. With more than 18,000 individual, 3,000
institutional and 300 corporate members, the Alliance is dedicated to ensuring that museums
remain a vital part of the American landscape, connecting people with the greatest achievements
of the human experience, past, present and future. For more information, visit www.aam-us.org.
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