Open Call: Christopher Udemezue

Yard is a collection of sculptural photographs–composed of found materials from Jamaica, canvas, acrylic, resin, and other mixed media–that delve into the cross-generational aspiration to find home, or “yard,” a Jamaican word for home. Udemezue’s experiences in Jamaica contradicted his mother’s personal memories of a neighborhood Peeping Tom and the fear-based stereotypes of Jamaica that circulate in the American media. Inspired by these negative, fear-based reactions, Udemezue began to research the Caribbean’s economic oppression within the global economy. Yard unites the geopolitical and socio-economic status of Jamaica, family ties, and the artist’s relationship to home.