“Aunt Beryl’s Smile”: Muddled Migrations and Photojournalism: A Caribbean framework for understanding the past and present
by Tammy Turner (tturnr)
Tammy Turner is a Russian born, Jamaican raised, Canadian multi-disciplinary artist, poet and teacher currently residing between Canada, Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. She has taught arts-based curricula to students from around the world and is invested in the many ways in which art, education and mental wellness intersect.
You can find out more about Tammy’s work at https://www.tturnr.com/ and on Instagram: @tturnr.studio
I was born in Moscow, Russia to Jamaican parents in the Michael Manley era during a period of idealized democratic socialism. As a dark-skinned black woman, this aspect of my identity has caused much bewilderment for others; a reality I have had to reckon with myself.
The investigation of complex migratory patterns has always been key to my understanding of the past and present, as well as to unlocking the hidden truths once held by my ancestors. As my curiosity has brewed and transformed over time, one could suggest that so too has my work. My evolution as an artist has seen a cross over from the pure written word to a kind of photojournalism. Photography has become one of the most significant means through which I’ve been able to explore and trace aspects of my genealogy; primarily as a Caribbean person whose history has been muddled by migrations across Europe, North America and the Caribbean. Through the lens, I explore the schematics of colour and aesthetics, as well as themes of blackness, Caribbean-ness, femininity, poverty and love. In addition to photographs, my artistic practice includes working in oil and acrylic paint, gold leaf, ink, paper, canvas, glass, ceramics and more.
On many a voyage to Jamaica, I took my camera along, with hopes of documenting folks in the communities inhabited by my matriarchal bloodline. I had hopes of capturing them in moments of grief, despair, joy, hope and in the ordinariness of the day to day. Time and time again I took pride in photographing new and old faces without apprehension, but with the pure desire to acquire more knowledge for my personal archive. This was a quest that to me came as a response to a deep longing for home, connection, and an even deeper understanding of self.
One particular experience landed me a feature in the National Gallery of Jamaica (N.G.J.) in 2019. I had travelled to Jamaica to witness my Uncle’s burial and shot a few photos for keepsake. I had been scrolling through my Instagram feed and stumbled upon an artist call for the N.G.J.’s summer exhibition. Inspired by a few incredible people in my life, I took a chance, whispered an affirmation and applied. To my surprise, both of my submissions were welcomed into the exhibit. For the purposes of this article, I’ve chosen to share a piece entitled “Aunt Beryl’s Smile.”
The inscription read: “I took this photo of my grandmother’s little sister this past January at a funeral in Westmoreland. I’ve always loved her well defined features, mostly because they remind me so much of my Grandmother’s and of their mother (my Great Grandmother), a woman who braided and sold tobacco in the Saturday market and who often supplied her rural district with clean water. It forces me to consider the meeting place between strength and struggle and what that looks like when manifested physically - as seen in her smile, her eyes, and the wrinkles that decorate her face.”
Aunt Beryl transitioned in 2022. I am beyond grateful to have this piece as a memento, a small snapshot in commemoration of her time here on earth. As a historian, I am also elated and admittedly proud to know that this photo has made its way into a broader Jamaican archive and will thus, live on.