Basil Watson
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Basil Watson, CD (born 1958),[1] is a Jamaican sculptor.
He is the son of painter Barrington Watson,[2] and the brother of sculptor Raymond Watson.[3] He was honoured with the Order of Distinction, Commander Class, in 2016, in recognition of his artistic accomplishments.[4]
Watson completed a sculpture entitled Balance in November 2006, which was installed at Doctor's Cave Bathing Club in Montego Bay in honor of the club's centennial.[2] Meant to depict the harmony between man and woman, the sculpture is of a standing nude man with one arm outstretched over his head and an inverted nude woman balancing on one hand, with her hand supported by the man's upraised hand.[2] In total, it is 15 feet tall.[2]
In December of that same year, he completed a statue of sprinter Merlene Ottey, which was installed at Jamaica's National Stadium.[5] The bronze sculpture, which is eight feet tall and weighs seven hundred pounds, depicts a running Ottey reaching for the sky with her right hand.[5] Prime Minister P. J. Patterson presided over the statue's dedication.[5]
Another work of Watson's was added to National Stadium in November 2009, when Prime Minister Bruce Golding unveiled his sculpture of sprinter Herb McKenley.[6] Watson described the task as an "honour" and a "privilege", citing the esteem in which he held McKenley.[6] He said that when designing the work, he drew from multiple images of McKenley created at different times to bridge the gap between McKenley's youthful accomplishments and his popular renown in his old age.[6]
Works by both Basil Watson and his son Kai, a painter, were exhibited in New York at the fifth annual "Art Off the Main" exposition in October 2008, sponsored by the Savacou Gallery.[7]
That December, Watson was added to the list of artists invited to provide works for the National Gallery of Jamaica's National Biennial exhibition.[8]
He was chosen from four finalists to create the United Kingdom's National Windrush Monument, which was unveiled at London Waterloo station in June 2022.[9][10]
On August 16, 2024, a 12 foot statue of John Lewis by Watson was installed in Decatur, Georgia, in the place where an obelisk monument to the Confederacy was put by the United Daughters of the Confederacy in 1908; the obelisk was removed in 2020.[11]
On June 19, 2025, a 10 foot statue of Lewis and Harriet Hayden was unveiled outside Lexington Traditional Magnet School in Lexington, Kentucky. The statue, named "Towards Freedom", faces north to symbolize the direction escaped slaves traveled on the Underground Railroad. [12]
References
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- ^ "Basil Watson: Art of a jamaican Sculptor", Anancy Magazine, 1 December 2012.
- ^ a b c d Housen, Claudine. "'Balance' on the Beach Script error: No such module "webarchive".", The Jamaica Gleaner, 26 November 2006.
- ^ "Watson's 'journey continues' Script error: No such module "webarchive"." The Jamaica Gleaner, 16 October 2009.
- ^ "Outstanding Jamaicans Honoured at King's House", Jamaica Information Service, 18 October 2005.
- ^ a b c "Ottey Honoured with Statue". Script error: No such module "webarchive". Jamaicans.com, 9 January 2006.
- ^ a b c "McKenley statue to be unveiled tomorrow", Script error: No such module "webarchive". The Jamaica Gleaner, 24 November 2009.
- ^ "Caribbean art showcases at NY exhibition" Script error: No such module "webarchive". The Jamaica Gleaner, 26 October 2008.
- ^ "The 2008 Jamaica National Biennial, December 14, 2008, Jamaica" Script error: No such module "webarchive". Jamaicans.com, 10 December 2008.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Basil Watson chosen to design national Windrush Monument". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."The perfect storm: Basil Watson creates the National Windrush Monument | Art UK". artuk.org. 22 June 2022. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Bronze statue of John Lewis replaces more than 100-year-old Confederate monument". AP News. 16 August 2024.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Lucke, Jamie (19 June 2025). "'Towards Freedom' unveiled in Lexington on Juneteenth • Kentucky Lantern". Kentucky Lantern. Retrieved 27 November 2025.
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