Lenworth McIntosh
Interview by Deborah Ferguson
OCHI gallery presented a solo exhibition of new works by Jamaican American artist Lenworth McIntosh at Frieze Los Angeles February 2025 in the Focus Section, curated by Essence Harden, Visual Arts Curator and Program Manager at the California African American Museum and co-curator of the 2025 Made in L.A. Biennial at the Hammer Museum.
Lenworth McIntosh creates semi-autobiographical paintings that capture identity-shaping moments, often set against the shifting light of dawn and dusk. This latest series revisits the landscapes of his childhood in Jamaica’s lush interior, offering a reflective journey through memory. Towering figures represent the influential adults in his life—his devoted, churchgoing grandparents dressed in their Sunday best, while casually dressed community members linger outside a local shop on a weeknight, greeting one another and engaging in quiet acts of collective care. A young boy, moving through these scenes, looks up at the adults around him, unquestioning of the world’s unspoken rules.
YorkCastle, 2024
Oil on canvas
60 x 60 in
Yes, Mr. Deacon, 2024
Oil, oil bar, and charcoal on canvas
20 x 16 in
McIntosh’s perspective is shaped by the varied elevations of his youth—sea level, his inland home, and his uncle’s farm high in the hills. These experiences, along with his later moves to Dallas-Fort Worth, Fort Lauderdale, Oakland, and now Los Angeles, have informed his use of the bird’s-eye view as a means of contemplating the many forces that have shaped his mind, body, and spirit.
Although Jamaica gained independence in 1962, the lingering effects of colonialism persist in McIntosh’s memories and surface throughout his paintings in gestures and landmarks. YorkCastle (2024) reflects on religious spaces, depicting a vast outdoor clearing enclosed by a weathered stone wall, with a church standing in the distance. The wall’s chipped, blue-tinted paint signals the passage of time and the lasting imprint of missionary influence. A winding dirt road leads toward a family dressed for church, while a young boy gazes outward—an observer, much like McIntosh himself, attuned to the details of his surroundings. Whether it was the slow decay of a church gate, the mismatched paint patches on a storefront, or the subtle warmth of a familiar place, these fragments of memory continue to inform his work, layering past and present into a rich, atmospheric narrative.
Time on the Veranda, 2024
Oil, oil bar, and charcoal on canvas
42 x 44 in
That Small Room, 2024
Oil, oil bar, and charcoal on canvas
20 x 24 in
McIntosh has always navigated two worlds. In Jamaica, he experienced the contrast between local, native traditions and the lasting imprint of colonial influence. Upon immigrating to the United States, this duality reemerged—his early life of tending animals, living off the land, and following the rhythms of the sun stood in stark opposition to the structured landscapes of Texas, with its apartment complexes, concrete streets, artificial lighting, and sprawling supermarkets.
This interplay of worlds is central to McIntosh’s paintings, where he unpacks the layers of his identity. Day and night exist in contrast yet blend through mood, color, and form. Rusty reds reflect the iron-rich soil of his childhood, rain-soaked greens recall the lush hills and forests, and deep blues evoke the melancholic beauty of daybreak and twilight. Across these shifting spaces, warmth is always found in the glow of low light. As McIntosh notes, “Look long enough, and your eyes will adjust.”
Ministry of the Dominoes, 2024
Oil, oil bar, and charcoal on canvas
48 x 108 in
While attending Frieze Los Angeles I was able to chat with Lenworth about his piongnant art and the inspiration for his group of paintings
DF: What subliminal message can we take from this particular group of paintings? Could there be references to colonialism in relation to Jamaican culture?
LM :Yes, there is a message in presenting a vision of Jamaica that differs from the typical tourism lens. I wanted to remain authentic to my lived experience, focusing on the inland areas of Jamaica—places that feel protected, remote, and preserved from foreign influence. These communities have deep cultural roots that blend indigenous, African, and Asian influences, forming a tight-knit, self-sustaining environment.
Another subliminal message in my work is the experience of childhood—navigating the world with little knowledge but a deep curiosity, seeking balance between structure and freeform existence. There’s an underlying tension between the rigid frameworks imposed by society and the fluidity of personal experience, and my paintings explore that duality.
I Came Home and There He Was, 2024
Oil, oil bar, and charcoal on canvas
20 x 16 in
Moses in the CocoYam, 2024
Oil, oil bar, and charcoal on canvas
72.5 x 48 in
DF: When did you start focusing on large canvas paintings?
LM : Large-scale painting was a gradual process for me. I started as an illustrator, and there was a point where I wanted to learn how to create murals. Once I understood scale, it became easier for me to approach large canvases—it was just another kind of wall, another way to tell stories.
I also wanted viewers to step into the world of my paintings. With large canvases, there’s a sense of invitation; they allow for deeper engagement, making the experience immersive. It became a way for me to communicate on a more profound level.
Minny Vale, 2024
Oil on canvas
60 x 60 in
DF: Was there any inspiration for your art while living in West Oakland, a neighborhood with historical significance, particularly tied to movements like the Black Panther Party?
LM: Living in West Oakland—specifically in The Bottoms—was an incredible experience. It felt deeply rooted in the history and fabric of the city. Walking past the old Black Panther headquarters, seeing plaques, hearing stories—it all influenced how I approached my work.
Being immersed in that environment reinforced my intention to tell stories about the community. Even as a photographer, I made sure I wasn’t just passing through—I was engaged, always outside, walking or riding my bike, documenting the everyday life of the people around me. That level of presence shaped how I approach storytelling in my paintings.
Kerosene Comfort, 2024
Oil, oil bar, and charcoal on canvas
20 x 16 in
Longest Day of the Week, 2024
Oil, oil bar, and charcoal on canvas
19 x 31 in
DF : How did your photography influence the paintings in this exhibition?
LM: Photography has taught me how light drives emotion and storytelling. When I photograph, I’m always chasing a feeling—there’s a cinematic quality that film allows me to capture, and I translate that into my paintings.
I study how light interacts with subjects, how it creates mood and depth. In my paintings, I aim to achieve that same cinematic effect, using color and composition to evoke emotion and immerse the viewer in the narrative.
Ministry of the Dominoes, 2024
Oil, oil bar, and charcoal on canvas
48 x 108 in
Artist
Lenworth McIntosh
Images
Courtesy of the Artist and OCHI , Photo by Deen Babakhyi.