Jahnest McGregor Sargeant

This piece was inspired by the statue of Kuffy located in Georgetown, Guyana.
Both of my parents are from Guyana, where my grandfather from my mothers side was alive during Guyana's colonization period. Kuffy (Cuffy) was an African Akan man who was apart of a Dutch slave colony in Berbice in present-day Guyana, He led a major slave revolt of about 5,000 people against the Dutch, overrunning plantations, seizing arms and gaining control of a lot of the colony, lasting from 1763 to 1764. After the slave revolt was stifled, Kuffty committed sucide and is now recognized as a symbol of freedom and a national hero in Guyana.
I felt compelled to make this painting as Guyana doesn't seem to be largely recognized as a third world country slowly developing itself to become more first world and id love for this piece to compel some to be curious in the country’s history and for others to feel represented.