It wasn’t just the rain that gave chills on the afternoon of September 26, as the National Gallery opened its doors for the opening of Edna Manley’s Bogle: A Contest of Icons exhibition, but also the aura that was created, with the presence of images of Paul Bogle — a preacher, an activist, a national hero.

Over the years, Manley’s representation of Bogle has met with much controversy and debate, particularly regarding its significance and its placement in Morant Bay.

Edna Manley’s Bogle

Giving the main address at the opening was the affable Barbara Gloudon, Deputy Chair of the Institute of Jamaica, and a close acquaintance of Manley. Gloudon considered her not only an artist of international reputation, but also one of incredible stature, asserting: “She was such a power; I crept around in her presence.”

Gloudon offered that Manley, who often created images of ‘struggle’, knew what it was to explore another side of the human psyche, and for those who have actually taken the time to read the story of Bogle, they would know that she had to have been compelled by spirituality to create this piece of work.

Made from ciment fondu, Edna Manley’s ‘Bogle’ was unveiled in 1965 and stood before the Morant Bay Courthouse in St Thomas. The Morant Bay Courthouse, which was destroyed by fire on Monday, February 19, 2007, is an important part of St. Thomas’s history. It was the scene of the Morant Bay Rebellion of 1865 — a protest against poor economic and social conditions in the country, which developed into a war between local citizens and the government. Through her sculpture, Manley recognised Bogle in his two roles — Baptist preacher and peasant farmer, wielding a machete as both a tool of his trade and as a weapon of defence — a black man, resolute, with legs wide and firmly planted.

As Gloudon states, it is a “timeless work”, and with the commotion surrounding it, it is clear that “we still have not overcome the burden of colour and class.” Gloudon believes that Manley came with a message – no matter that she wasn’t Black — she was [Black] in spirit, and intensely spiritual.

Interpreting Bogle

The exhibition is research-based, and observes different representations of Paul Bogle and the 1865 Morant Bay Rebellion — artists such as Mallica ‘Kapo’ Reynolds, Christopher Gonzales, Barrington Watson and Alvin Marriot are only a few who have work on display in the gallery, of their own interpretations.

In her address at the opening, Gloudon stressed in particular the importance of the preservation and promotion of Jamaica’s artistic heritage. “We have to find the money to restore our history. It is the only reference our people have,” she declared. “The Bogle chapter is an important chapter… I speak for the heart of another moment in history — our birth is an explosion.”

Edna Manley’s Bogle: A Contest of Icons exhibition will be on show at the National Gallery of Jamaica until November 13, 2010, and will therefore be available for viewing throughout heritage week. Visitors will be able to have a glimpse at what Bogle’s legacy really means.

As Gloudon shared, “We all have a shared history… because we are all born out of one.”

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