Project Junction: installation

Commissioned by The Africa Center

Organized by Evelyn Owen, Associate Curator, and Henone Girma, Programs Coordinator.

For this installation, I constructed a site specific project that explores and reflects "Food" as expression of a collective identity in its ever evolving state. The installation incorporates animation, painting, prints and objects.

Based on African Restaurants that are walking distance from the museum, I researched the ingredients of their national dishes. I visited Cross Culture Kitchen Restaurant, Le Baobab Restaurant, La Savane Restaurant, Safari Restaurant and Zoma Restaurant.
I made a stop motion animation using the ingredients of each dish to reflect my discoveries in learning the native origins, symbolism, historical and cultural associations, folklore and beliefs associated with the ingredients. On the walls line paintings traced their historical cultivation and global dispersion as well as their cultural associations and symbolism.

For the installation, I recreated objects that were found on the walls of the restaurants. I believe these objects potentially refer to each cultures present constructed symbolism and reflect on the Africans in America experience.

The instillation is accompanied by a "future to go menu" that will be printed out for viewers to take with them. This menu is based on questions I asked the restaurants about what dish they imagine will continue to exist in the year 3020 A.D.

Through these layers of connected time, the past, the present and the future; the local with the global, I plan to highlight the global assemblage and continuous rejustification of African identities.