Jamaican photojournalist Steve James has covered the dancehall and reggae scene for more than 25 years and will give the women in the genre the spotlight in his exhibit at the Art Basel Miami event on December 7, 2023. James will share exhibit space during the “Let There Be Reggae” portion of the event with David Muir, Roy Sweetland, Ranking Levy and Ellen G, and Jik Reuben. The reggae exhibit has always been a favorite with event attendees.
A Focus On The Women
While women artists have made progress in the reggae/dancehall genre, which is known for its machismo, they still come second to males in the scene. James has covered the life and times of reggae artists and fans for decades and decided that 2023 was the time to put the focus of his annual show on the women of reggae. He will showcase young women in reggae, sound system selectors, and others. In an interview with the Observer Online, James said, “We will be showcasing Lila Ike, Shenseea, Spice, Koffee, and several others.”
James’s 2019 Art Basel’s “Let There Be Reggae” Exhibit
The 2023 staging of Art Basel Miami will feature James’s second exhibit at the yearly show. He debuted at the event in 2019 where he showed 30 snapshots of live music performances, Rastafarian culture, and the funeral services of famous artists.
About Steve James
Steve James is from Kingston, Jamaica, and his main work is covering the reggae scene for the German website, reggaeville.com. James says that taking the photos is easy, but storing them, archiving, editing, and adding metadata is also of prime importance to him. He does not publish anything until “everything is in place.” He noted that photography was a passion for him, not just a job.
About Art Basel Miami
Art Basel is a privately owned and managed for-profit international art fair. It is staged every year in Basel, Switzerland; Miami; Hong Kong; and Paris. Art Basel collaborates with local institutions in the host city to develop art programs. It was launched in 1970 in Switzerland by gallerists Ernst Beyeler, Trudl Bruckner, and Balz Hilt. The first year it attracted over 16,000 visitors and displayed word by 90 galleries in 10 countries. The 2019 show in Switzerland attracted some 93,000 visitors who viewed work from 290 galleries in 35 countries and exhibited the work of more than 4,000 artists. The Miami event was introduced in 2002, with the 2019 show presenting 269 galleries from 29 countries, which was attended by 81,000 visitors.
Photo – Steve James, Jik Reuben
