Idea
History is not static and the past is not fixed. It is a fluid living breathing thing that shifts and contours depending on the story teller. In the hands of the malicious it can falsely justify heinous atrocities under the guise of global expansion and missionary goodwill. These one sided stories idealize painful conquests and suffering while justifying the marginalization and diminished of entire groups of people for countless generations. However, in the hands of the noble and just, history can establish a narrative that sows the seeds of hope and courage, relaying accounts of bravery, faith and conviction.
With intention to empower and inspire the artists depict their ancestors not as downtrodden or meek victims but as determined heroes. They highlight the character of a people who had the strength and fortitude to endure that dehumanizing experience of servitude and abuse and persevere onward.
This re-imagined journey is depicted through a series of stylized photographic images that portrays the artist’s forebears in a beautifully vulnerable and human manner. The intention is not to romanticize or glamorize the slavery era, but to honor those that went through it by projecting them with an air of high esteem, dignity and regality.
Results
The Pilgrimage Project has been exhibited at a number of galleries, art shows and institutions including President Lincoln’s Cottage in Washington, DC, the Pope-Leighey House/Museum in Woodlawn Virginia, and the Bamako Biennial in Mali West Africa
