A Hybrid Art Gallery, Bookstore, Café, Rum & Wine Bar
Priscilla Hintz Rivera Knight and David Knight Jr., Bajo el Sol Gallery & Art Bar owners since 2016, are proud of the gallery’s more than 30-year legacy of support and engagement with the arts community of St. John and the greater Virgin Islands. The gallery is home to thought-provoking monthly exhibitions, readings and book signings by award-winning V.I. writers and poets, documentary screenings with regional and international filmmakers, as well as presentations by local and visiting academics and musicians.
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At the Art Bar, you'll find Puerto Rican espresso coffee, chocolates, wine, classic Caribbean cocktails, lite savory bites, soups, salads, and freshly baked pastries. The Art Bar is also home to the largest selection of aged rums in Cruz Bay, which can be sampled in curated tasting flights.​
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Located in Mongoose Junction, Bajo el Sol is just a five-minute walk from the Cruz Bay Ferry Dock.
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Events & Exhibitions
Current Exhibition
Mark Feijão Milligan II
Select Works from
Espíritu Africano
Espíritu Africano honoring the timeless spirit of the African Diaspora—its memory, resilience, and ancestral power.
First presented to critical acclaim at the Caribbean Museum Center for the Arts (CMCArts) on St. Croix, Espíritu Africano now travels to St. John as part of Bajo El Sol’s Dialogues on Freedom 2025 series.
Mark Feijão Milligan II (b. 1976, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands) is a multidisciplinary artist whose practice spans painting, murals, and live performance. A graduate of New York City’s School of Visual Arts, Milligan has exhibited at Utah MOCA, Bishop Museum, and the Shangri La Museum of Islamic Art, Culture & Design, among others. His public works include murals for Pow! Wow! Hawai‘i, Central Park SummerStage, and the For Freedoms “Awakening 2020” campaign. His works are held in the collections of Barack and Michelle Obama, singer Lizzo, and CBS anchor Anne-Marie Green. Now based in Hawai‘i, Milligan continues to explore identity, heritage, and the spiritual resilience of the African Diaspora.
New Works by EXU
Exu, a 24-year-old self-taught multi-disciplinary artist and poet, was born and raised in the vibrant landscape of the United States Virgin Islands. They work in acrylic paint, spray paint, markers, and pencils. Driven by a desire to spark meaningful conversations, Exu uses their art as a tool to shed light on subjects often overlooked or misunderstood, and to challenge viewers to confront their beliefs, question societal norms, and embrace the beauty of diversity.
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​Exu says, "I'm driven by a relentless passion to provoke thought and ignite meaningful dialogue. I like to dive into subjects that demand attention and understanding. In a world often overshadowed by chaos and division, I believe in the transformative power of art to unite, inspire, and uplift. I strive to leave an indelible mark on the hearts and minds of those who encounter my work, reminding them of the inherent beauty that resides within us all."
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Rhyme & Lime Poetry Jam
Every last Saturday of each month starting at 7pm (except December, June, & September), the Gri Gri Project along with Raven Phillips hosts Rhyme & Lime Poetry Jam at Bajo el Sol Gallery. This monthly event features the musical stylings of the event's house jazz band From Broheem With Love
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Rhyme and Lime features poets, musicians and spoken word artists of every experience level from around the world. Although the island that is home to the Rhyme and Lime claims a population of less than 5,000 people, the event’s reach has extended far beyond its shores, welcoming visiting performers from around the Virgin Islands, the rest of the Caribbean and the United States.​
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​You can read your own poetry or someone else's - or if you don't wanna rhyme, just listen and lime!
Book Of the Month
Rhyme and Lime Anthology
This publication features an aggregate of original poems that have been featured at their monthly poetry readings coined with the name Rhyme and Lime hosted at Bajo el Sol Art Gallery in Cruz Bay, St. John.
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The book was made in celebration of the fifth year of the event’s existence and features original poetry from poets who performed at the event between 2019 and 2023. Rhyme and Lime is a poetry event formed in 2019 by Virgin Islands’ poet Jamaica Hamilton alongside David Knight Jr. and Priscilla Hintz Rivera Knight.
Editors Raven Phillips and David Knight Jr. worked together to curate a poetry anthology that would celebrate numerous Virgin Islands poets and guests of the Virgin Islands who had shared original work throughout the years. William “Bill” Stelzer was integral in designing the book for publication.
Curator's Pick
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Elisa Bryan
Still Life Paintings
Elisa Bryan Is a native Virgin Islander who grew up in the French community of fishermen on St. Thomas. She is a graduate of the Atlanta College of Art, Atlanta, GA.
The influence of the Caribbean is reflected in her work as she explores light, form and motion. Bryan is increasingly drawn to capturing moments of island life using the classical technique of still
life painting.
Gustos Premium Espresso Coffee From Our Neighboring Island of Puerto Rico
Sip our single origin, small batch coffee, in one of our handmade, locally crafted coffee cups.