Reggae music is about “love, protest, togetherness and spirituality,” according to David Muir, whose collection of 26 iconic reggae-music performance photos will be on display at the Pompano Beach Cultural Center from Aug. 10 through Sept. 30.
Reggae has a “strong spiritual tradition,” Muir shared in a telephone interview while on a road trip with his two youngest sons. Exhibit visitors will get to see his photographs of the genre that is “near and dear to my heart,” as well as video installations of performance footage from the various concerts Muir photographed.
The collection, appropriately titled “Reggae Reel – Moments in Music,” offers a glimpse of the exclusive access he’s been given to high profile artists in reggae and dancehall over the last 10 years.
On Aug. 26 at 3 p.m., Muir will participate in the Audience with Artist discussion where attendees will hear from him share his “Impression of what it’s like to take the photos,” of iconic reggae artists like Marcia Griffiths and Buju, as well as some of today’s hottest artists including Tarrus Riley, Mavado and Chronixx. The exhibit will also include Muir’s photos of rising stars like Koffee and Sevana.
“I’ve had a love affair with reggae for as long as I can remember,” said Muir. “I took most of these images for my own, selfish gratification. It’s a welcome pleasure that I’m able to share them with so many other reggae music fans in this way.”
A Jamaican native and one of South Florida’s most prominent photographers, Muir is a former disk jockey, manager of music talent and concert promoter who is a director at Island Syndicate, publishers of Island Origins Magazine and producers of The Taste the Islands Experience. The artists featured in the exhibit share their stories through the music and Muir has captured the passion and power of their performance in still shots.
Muir’s photo collections, including the critically acclaimed Pieces of Jamaica and its accompanying coffee table book, have toured in national and international exhibitions. He serves on local advisory boards, including nonprofits and arts organizations, curates multiple annual Fort Lauderdale art exhibits, conducts seminars for aspiring journalists and photographers, and teaches photography at Broward College.
