My Mouth Is Soft

About

My Mouth is Soft The title of this project, ‘My Mouth is Soft', is from Kingston, Jamaica. It describes the ability to quickly defuse a dispute or argument with humour and charm. The same verbal dexterity and imagination is mirrored in the city's graffiti. It often denotes boundaries that are physical, behavioural and/or political. You're urged to think positively, to trust in the Lord, not to urinate against that wall. Murals depicting community leaders reinforce the identity of many localities, as well as defining their boundaries. The artworks in this show have been developed in Kingston, Jamaica where I have been working on the project since 2006. They symbolise the physical and psychological borders that we all create to protect our individuality and to avoid disputes. This is essential when living in any densely populated environment, including London. The exhibition celebrates humanity's resilience and strength. My work focuses on how communities adapt, especially when they do so organically, without official planning. Earlier photographs in the series were exhibited at East West Gallery, Notting Hill; at CUBE (Centre for the Urban Built Environment) Manchester, and at Kunsthaeuschen-Herrliberg, Zurich in 2011 and 2012. For the ArtWorks Project Space the series has been developed further. New photographs, video and an installation capture the colours, the shadows and the overwhelming life-force of downtown Kingston, while a work from London shows the architectural roots of the project. Charlotte C Mortensson, July 2014