Born and raised in Montego Bay, Jamaica, Monique Gilpin is an acclaimed fine art photographer and curator whose work explores themes of identity, culture, and motherhood. After studying Fine Arts at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts, specializing in Painting, Photography, and Graphic Design, Monique quickly established herself as a talented freelance photographer and graphic designer. Early in her career, she worked commercially, producing photography and graphic design for a range of clients, including visual artists, entertainers, and musicians. Her work garnered national attention, and for two consecutive years, she served as the official photographer for the Miss Jamaica World franchise.

Her work evolved toward fine art photography, which led to her inclusion in her first major group exhibition at Grosvenor Gallery in Kingston, Jamaica, in 2010. Following the birth of her two children, Zeri and Alana, Monique’s artistic focus deepened with themes of motherhood, and in 2014 she was featured in the Jamaica Biennial, organized by the National Gallery of Jamaica, where she was nominated for the prestigious Aaron Matalon Award. In 2015, she was showcased in the ‘Young Talent’ series at the National Gallery of Jamaica, followed by an international appearance in the ‘Get the Picture’ exhibition at the Melbourne Fringe Festival in Australia in 2017.

In 2018, Monique’s work appeared as part of ‘Required Reading’, a digital media projection created with Jamaican artist Leasho Johnson for the 1-54 Special Projects program, exhibited at 198 Contemporary Arts and Learning in London. This project is a collaboration between 198 Contemporary Arts, London, and Suzie Wong Presents, Jamaica. Inspired by Stuart Hall’s essay ‘Cultural Identity and Diaspora’, the piece explored Caribbean identity as a fluid, evolving concept influenced by African and Western intersections. That same year, she also exhibited at National Gallery West in the exhibition titled ‘I Shall Return’, curated by Chief Curator O'Neil Lawrence.

After returning to Montego Bay in 2015, Monique joined National Gallery West as the Assistant Curator. In this role, she conceptualized the *Due West* exhibition, an Open Call initiative to engage new artists, and curated her own exhibition titled *The Spirit of Budhai* in 2019. She also created the Art Supply Initiative, an educational program for school groups featuring Q&A sessions to engage students in critical thinking and local art history. Students who answered correctly received art supplies to encourage creative expression at home. Her work was further exhibited at the Gene Pearson Gallery in Kingston, Jamaica, the National Gallery of Jamaica’s ‘Kingston Biennial 2022: PRESSURE’, and in a group exhibition titled ‘Inception’ at CreativSpace Gallery in Kingston in July 2023.

Monique’s contributions to the field have also been featured in publications such as ‘The Jamaica Journal’, ‘The Jamaica Gleaner’, and in online features like ‘Art Connect’ and ‘Warriors Within Collective’. She was a fellow in the CCCADI Curatorial Fellowship in Afro-Caribbean Art in 2022.

Balancing her curatorial responsibilities with her dedication to fine art photography, Monique continues to create art that resonates with personal and cultural narratives. As an artist and mother, she aspires to inspire other emerging artists navigating the balance between family life and creative pursuits.