45 KÚYABarrington served his country through his role as a former curator of
the Bank of Jamaica collection, the foremost corporate art collection
of its time who’s patronage ushered in age of corporate and private
collecting on the island; as a teacher of the arts at a tertiary level in
Jamaica and abroad, most notably in 1962, when he served as the
first Director of Studies at the Jamaica School of Art (now the Edna
Manley College); and as a patron of the arts and cultural nation
builder in his own right when he bequeathed his beloved Orange
Park estate to the nation in trust in 1994. Watson’s role in shaping
Jamaica’s post independence culture has been been officially
recognised by numerous awards and accolades, including the Order
of Distinction, Commander Class in 1984; the Gold Musgrave Medal in
2000; the Order of Jamaica in 2006 and a monumental multi-site solo
retrospective in 2012 organised by the National Gallery, an exhibition
that still holds the record for the most attendees at any opening
reception.
Barrington is credited with producing some of the most iconic and
well-loved works in the national psyche, such as ‘Mother and Child’
and ‘Conversation’ in the collection of the National Gallery; various
studies of the West Indies cricket team; ‘Spirit of Garvey‘ an homage
to revivalist Jamaican religious tradition, and a series of epic history
paintings and murals that tell a narrative of the story of Jamaica itself
including ‘The Garden Party’ permanently installed at the Bank of
Jamaica and the ‘Our Heritage’ mural at The Olympia Gallery. His iconic
stylistic treatment of the female form, often nude, always imposing; a
strong and masterfully coloured montage of brown tones is perhaps
his greatest legacy on canvas. Orange Park serves as his legacy on land.
The Barrington the public knew was a raconteur, friends with key
members of Jamaican society such as the late attorney Pat Rousseau,
respected business leader Joseph Matalon and former Prime Minister
P.J. Patterson, all of whom collected his work with fervour and
supported his ideals of positioning Jamaican art among the larger
international canon of ‘high’ art.
Barrington is credited with producing
some of the most iconic and well-loved
works in the national psyche, such as
‘Mother and Child’ and ‘Conversation’ in
the collection of the National Gallery.