CV | BIO | PRESS
My work riffs on the colour, rhythm and repetition of Dancehall, the dominant pop culture of my native island, Jamaica.
Inspired by dancehall and the aesthetics of Jamaican party promotions I produce a clash of hand-drawn typography, bold large scale paintings, illustrations and hand-drawn animation. Referencing dance moves, risqué party names and the sexually provocative imagery surrounding the culture, combined with pop art, comic book, cinematic and advertising influences.
As a female artist I’m particularly interested in exploring the space that women occupy in Dancehall culture and the perception of provocative female behaviour, referred to as Slackness, in Jamaica’s deeply conservative and class divided society. In my paintings I strive to represent images of strong women taking control of their sexual and economic image. Reflecting a society that is imaginative, inventive, colourful, resilient and never shy of a likkle controversy.
A few brands I have worked with - Relentless Records, Google, Sony, ROC Nation, Usain Bolt's Tracks & Records, Adidas, Red Bull, Stussy Worldwide, Pitchfork, Nespresso, DJ Autograph x Sean Paul, 15th Parish Films, MashUp International, Bitch Media, Made in Paradise, Monkey Marc, Wah Gwan Twon, Nino Augustine, DanceJa, LargeUp.com, ForeignDub, Tezeta Press, BrukOut: a Dancehall Queen Documentary, Stylish Moves, Million Vybz Sound, True Jamaican Dancehall, Basslines, 101 Doll Squadron, The Art School x Murlo, 10 Caribbean, Article 1 Events, We of the Dancehall, Dibby Dibby Soundsystem, Xqlusiv Dance Crew, Jukeboxx, Mixpak Records.
CV
Education
BA (Hons) Fine Art, Camberwell College of Art, University of the Arts London, UK, 2004
Diploma in Studio Arts, Capilano College, British Columbia, Canada, 2000
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2019 Stepping Into The Role, Suite 7a, Sydney, Australia
2017 Bulls Eye, Feel the Vibe Pop Up for Jamaica Tourist Board, Vancouver, Canada
2015 Yard Illuminations, part of the Vivid Sydney 2015 festival, Play Bar, Sydney, Australia
2015 Dancing Words: the DHQ Edition, Blacklisted Gallery, Sydney, Australia
2014 Dancing Words: the Stylish Moves Edition, Blacklisted Gallery, Sydney
2013 Dancing Words, Blacklisted Gallery, Black Penny, Sydney, Australia
2012 Badda Dan Dem Star, China Heights Gallery, Surry Hills, Sydney, Australia
2012 Dancing Words, The Tate Gallery, Glebe, Sydney, Australia
Selected Recent Group Exhibition
2019 the exhibition project, City Recital Hall, Sydney, Australia
2019 Due West, National Gallery West, Montego Bay, Jamaica
2018 Let There Be Reggae, Miami Art Week, Wynwood Art District, Miami, FL
2018 Out of Many, Millenium Stage, Kennedy Center, Washington DC, USA
2018 Toofprints - Aruba Edition, (public art project) Oranjestad, Aruba
2018 Most Things Happen When I Am Asleep, Artspace, Auckland, New Zealand
2017 Let There Be Reggae, Miami Art Week, Wynwood Art District, Miami, FL
2017 Whyalla Art Prize, Middleback Arts Centre, Whyalla Norrie, SA
2017 Relational Undercurrents: Contemporary Art of the Caribbean Archipelago, Museum of Latin American Art, Los Angeles
2017 Counterculture, Project Contemporary Space, Wollongong, Australia
2017 Hey Gurl, Gaffa Gallery, Sydney CBD, Australia
2016 Toofprints Project, Alice Yard, Trinidad & Tobago
2016 Digital, National Gallery of Jamaica, Kingston, Jamaica
2016 Children of the Gap, Darnley Gallery, London, UK
2015 Still, Gaffa Gallery, Sydney CBD, Australia
2013 Yen Female Art Award, Gaffa Gallery, Sydney, Australia
2012 Art in the Dancehall (Touring Exhibition), Subliminal Projects, Los Angeles, USA; Miss Lily's Variety, New York, USA; Puma Yard (London Olympics), Brick Lane, London, UK; The Drum, Potters Lane, Birmingham, UK
Awards & Honours
2019 Google Doodle - Celebrating the first Caribbean team to make it to the FIFA Women’s World Cup
2018 Lloyd Walcott Visual Art Prize - Winner
2017 Whyalla Art Prize - Finalist
2016 Adidas Promoted Artist program - Adidas Skateboarding, Worldwide release spring/summer 2018
2014 Artist Series program - Stussy Inc., Worldwide release spring/summer 2014
2013 Yen Female Art Award - Shortlisted
Notable Collections
Usain Bolt's Tracks & Records, Jamaica; Adidas Group, USA; Campari Group, USA & Sydney; Stussy Inc., California, USA; Nespresso, Sydney, Australia; Bruk Out: A Dancehall Queen Documentary, USA; DanceJA, Kingston, Jamaica; Adidas, Portland, USA; Museum of Latin American Art, Los Angeles, USA; Pitchfork, Chicago, USA; The Art School, Glasgow, UK; Mixpak Records, New York, USA; Large Up Inc, New York, USA; University of Leicester, Leicester, UK; Safari Sound International, Stockholm, Sweden; Million Vibes Soundsystem, Malmo, Sweden
Bibliography
Riaz Phillips, “Belly Full” & “Belly Full Likkle Cookbook”, Tezetta Press, London, UK, 2017
Kimberly Peel, “Hey Gurl”, Gaffa Gallery Zine & exhibition catalogue, 2017
“Digital”, National Gallery of Jamaica, exhibition catalogue, 2016
Hope Brooks, "Robin Clare", A History of Violence, Interviewing the Caribbean, Vol 2, Winter 2016, page 66-71
Thomas Vendryes, “Volume! Inna Jamaican Stylee”, La Revue des Musiques Populaires, Cite de la Musique Philharmonie de Paris, Vol 13-2, 2016, pages 116 & 176
“New Paintings by Robin Clare”, L3 Magazine, 2012, pages 18-19
“Art in the Dancehall”, L3 Magazine, 2012, pages 30-31
“Art in the Dancehall”, exhibition catalogue, 2012
Texts
“Dancehall Colouring & Activity Book”, 2016
“The DHQ Issue”, Rice & Peas, Vol 5, 2015
“The World-wide Issue”, Rice & Peas, Vol 4, 2014
“The Dance issue”, Rice & Peas, Vol 3, 2013
"Stylish Moves" Vol 1-4, 2014 - 2017 (co produced with Latonya Style, DanceJa)
“The Independence Issue”, (endorsed by Jamaica 50 Independence Office), Vol 2, 2012
“The Sound System Issue”, Rice & Peas, Vol 1, 2011
PRESS
