ATLANTA: Radcliffe Roye / Chastain Arts Center

J'Ouvert: At the Devil's Playground
Presented in partnership with the National Black Arts Festival
June 14 - July 28, 2012
Opening reception: Thursday, June 14, 2012 - 6:30pm to 8:30pm
Artist Talk: Saturday, June 30, 2012, 1:00pm to 3:00pm


CHASTAIN ARTS CENTER
135 West Wieuca Road, N.W.
Atlanta, GA

Radcliffe Roye is a Brooklyn based documentary photographer specializing in editorial and environmental portraits, photo-journalism and stock photography. A self taught photographer with over twelve year’s experience. He is inspired by the raw and gritty lives of grass-roots people, especially those of his homeland of Jamaica. Radcliffe strives to tell the stories of their victories and ills by bringing their voices to still photography. 

J’Ouvert and the idea of the “Devils Playground” came to the artist after learning that the word originates from the French “jour ouvert” meaning day break or morning, and signals the start of the bacchanalia that is Carnival. As a child growing up in Jamaica, J’Ouvert was the signal of “Junkunoos” and other effigies that had children scampering off to hide under their mother’s skirt tails or grip daddy’s hand extra hard in fear of being carted off by these “scary” colored figures. 

The artist started photographing J’Ouvert in Brooklyn New York because it reminded him of the things that scared him as a boy. This traditional part of Carnival starts around 2:00 in the morning and continues with the colorful costumes, until the Brooklyn Carnival begins at 11 AM, that morning. 

Radcliffe Roye has been exhibiting his work since 2001 and has shown in institutions in New York and beyond. He has been awarded fellowships at the New York Foundation, the Open Society Institute Documentary Photography Project, and has had work included in the national travelling exhibition Saturday Night, Sunday Morning curated by Deborah Willis. J’Ouvert: At the Devils Playground is his first exhibition in Atlanta and in the south.

The 2012 National Black Arts Festival is presenting this exhibition as part of their celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Jamaican Independence. The theme for this year’s National Black Arts festival is connecting communities. 

About Chastain Arts Center 

Chastain Arts Center is one of the oldest community arts center in Atlanta. Its mission has always been to provide a nurturing place where artists of all ages and skill levels are encouraged to create, learn and enjoy. Visit www.ocaatlanta.com for more information.