The dynamic soca artist Machel Montano is being honored with an exhibit on his life and career at the Central Branch of the Brooklyn Public Library. The exhibit will be at the library from Aug. 22 to Sept. 12.
Journey of a Soca King: The Exhibition opens just in time for the festivities celebrating Caribbean culture in New York City, capped off by the West Indian Labor Day Parade. Created by the Machel Montano Foundation for Greatness, the exhibition highlights his contributions to soca culture and music, which began in 1982 and have lasted over five decades.
The exhibition showcases his trophies and costumes he’s worn throughout the years, and visitors can check out his discography at a vinyl listening station. It will also focus on his deep ties to Brooklyn, beginning with his arrival from his native Trinidad and Tobago to attend workshops in 1984 and his time living in the borough in the 1990s.
“Brooklyn helped raise me,” said Machel Montano, in the press release announcing the exhibit. “I lived here, I learned here, and some of my earliest audiences were right in these neighborhoods. So for this work to come back to Brooklyn, in a place that is free and open to anybody who walks through the door, means everything.”
“Brooklyn is home to one of the largest Caribbean populations outside the Caribbean, and the Library is committed to preserving and sharing the stories, histories, and cultural contributions of the communities we serve,” said Linda E. Johnson, President and CEO, Brooklyn Public Library in the press release. “This exhibition will offer visitors an opportunity to explore the enduring impact of Caribbean music and culture through the life and career of one of its most influential and beloved artists.”
The exhibit comes after the release of his documentary film, Like Ah Boss: Journey of a Soca King (2026), which will be shown on the facade of the Central Library on Sept. 3. The exhibit will also be supported by programming at the other branches of the library. The full listing of events can be found here.
