ART HISTORIAN. Lecturer. Artist. Director Emeritus/Chief Curator.
Dr. David Wayne Boxer's interest in art was piqued at an early age, and that passion smolders still even after decades of involvement in the world of art.
We applaud you for your integrity, creative drive and your academic brilliance. Born in March 1946 in St. Andrew, Dr. Boxer was educated at Calabar High School in St. Andrew, where, in 1957, he was one of 1,400 children who entered grant-aided secondary school free of all tuition through the first Common Entrance Examination. He then attended Jamaica College (1958-1964), and later won a scholarship to Cornell University (1965-1969) in New York, United States, where he majored in art history.
Awarded a Gilman scholarship in 1970 to the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, Dr. Boxer successfully completed studies for a master's degree (1973) and a doctorate (1975) in art history.
A stint as a producer/director at the now defunct Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation (JBC) preceded his art teaching career which saw him lecturing at the Johns Hopkins University (1971), the University of Marlyland, and Morgan State College in Maryland.
Between 1974-1975, he took up a full-time appointment as Assistant Professor at the George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, where he taught 19th century European Art, 20th century European and American Art and a survey of Western Art.
In 1975, he was appointed Director/Curator at the National Gallery of Jamaica in downtown Kingston, but still continued to teach. He presented a series of 10 lectures, titled Art in Jamaica: 16th-19th century at the Creative Arts Centre, University of the West Indies (UWI) in 1976, lectured at the Jamaica School of Art in 1978, and at the Edna Manley College for the Visual and Performing Arts (EMCVPA) between 1996-1997.
We salute you for the sterling role you have played in developing the local art scene. In your current role as Director Emeritus/Chief Curator at the National Gallery, you have gallantly shouldered the responsibility for the acquisition of works for the National Collection of fine arts, the maintenance and display of the National Collection at the gallery itself, in state residences, and at Jamaican embassies and high commissions abroad, all with deceptive ease.
We thank you for your tireless efforts which have increased the national and international visibility of Jamaican art through a programme of exhibitions, acquisitions, publications and educational activities.
We don't know where you get the energy from, but even with all your responsibilities, you find time to continue to lecture widely to schools and associations on art, photography and cinematography, and during your tenure, you have opened several exhibitions and appeared on many radio and television discussion programmes in Jamaica, United Kingdom and the US
We commend you for your continued role as a champion of local art, and your incredible talent. You were the first Jamaican artist to venture systematically into this art form, and you have greatly influenced younger artists with similar interests. And you continue to serve on various boards and committees, including the National Gallery, the Council of the Institute of Jamaica, the Edna Manley Foundation, the Foundation for the Arts, and the National Arboretum Foundation. He is also a Justice of the Peace (Kingston).
Over the years, you have authored numerous articles, special papers, catalogues, and books, including the valuable and acclaimed Edna Manley: Sculptor (1990) and Modern Jamaican Art (1997) with Veerle Poupeye.
We applaud your distinguished career. Dr. Boxer has received several major awards for excellence in art, including the First Prize (Silver Medal) at the Jamaica Annual Festival of Arts (1969), the Centenary Medal from the Institute of Jamaica (1980), the Gold Medal at the Biennial of Caribbean and Central American Painting, Santo Domingo (1992), and the Gold Musgrave Medal from the Institute of Jamaica (1995).
And for your significant contribution to the development of Jamaican art, you were awarded the National Honour of the Commander of the Order of Distinction (C.D.) by the Government of Jamaica in 1991.
Today, Dr. Boxer continues to actively promote the development of Jamaican art, selflessly sharing his expertise and knowledge, where necessary. For these reasons, we present you with the Gleaner Honour Award for Excellence 2002.
