As I entered The Lemmerman Gallery to view Danielle Scott’s exhibition of ‘Kinfolk’ I immediately felt her mark and presence in the room. Powerful and remarkable are understatements to how this extraordinary series called ‘Ancestral Call’ can be described as. This collection of mixed media such as collage, sculpture, photography, fabrics, and the use of copies of documents dating back to the time of slavery captures the inhumane treatment of enslaved African families and their generations to come.
After having spent the majority of her trajectory as an artist immersing in the medium of painting, Scott took a break and traveled around the United States and Cuba– returning to her roots and the land of her ancestors; as advised by one of her mentors. Scott sourced the materials used in this series during her travels to the south of the United States and Cuba; along with items she has collected throughout her life and markets and thrift stores.
Deciding to immerse in the experience completely, Scott decided to spend her birthday at a cotton field picking cotton under the sun’s overwhelming summer heat. Scott brought back the cotton to the exhibit and had us, the viewers experience a bit of this as well by giving us each a cotton ball and having us completely remove the seeds. Having applied a bit of vaseline right before leaving my vehicle to head to the exhibit I had a bit of help with the process of doing so. As I maneuvered the cotton ball in my hands I could not help but to think of the slaves that had to do not only one, but possibly thousands of cotton balls on a daily basis– finding ways to protect their children, mothers weighed down the cotton socks with rocks or snuck vaseline to make the process of picking cotton slightly more bearable.
Scott is able to portray her experience in such an astonishing manner. Making the viewer feel as if we have traveled back in time and witnessed the suffering of the families and individuals in each piece. Not only do you feel agony and dismay when interacting with the work, but you also question “what could have been?”
As I viewed these images of enslaved children being robbed of their childhood, families being torn apart, seeing the sad look in the eyes of women and men I felt saddened; torn by the fact that the ancestors of my friends and neighbors had to live through such suffering. That this trauma still affects the generations that have come from the families enslaved. The suffering of the previous generations still remains in the hearts and lives of the generations of today.
Regardless of the suffering that is being depicted in these bodies of work framed by smoked and burnt 2”x4”s gathered at Home Depot; which represents the wooden structures were these slaves were kept at, Scott also adds a touch of color and glamor by giving the people colorful, lively fabrics as clothing and painting halos over the heads of the slaves. Symbolizing the proper treatment and praise they deserved as living beings and giving the viewer a glimmer of hope for generations to come.
When reading the names and “occupations” of slaves portrayed in this work I am overcome with feelings of anguish and helplessness. Seeing bodies purposely extracted from family portraits to represent the separation of families is a truth that cannot be ignored.
I cannot help but compare witnessing a bit of how families were torn apart and separated during the time of slavery ties with the ongoing issue of immigration happening throughout the Mexican and U.S borders for decades on end. Families continue to be separated and torn apart, generations will continue to be affected by these inhumane acts towards living beings.
As an artist who is still trying to find her ways and her calling, I can relate to Scott wanting to get in touch with her roots and connecting to her ancestors. I, myself have traveled back to Ecuador to get in touch with my parents roots. I have tried to dig deeper in the studio and journals of my late father seeking connection and some sort of understanding and belonging.
Witnessing Scott’s stunning, powerful and transcendent work has motivated me to continue researching stories of immigrants crossing the Southern border and continuing to use my voice to speak for them.
Below are the images of the works of Scott that Spoke to me the most:
‘King Constance'
‘Hatwell, Gray, Bernaby and Eugene”
Instead of a self portrait, I chose to work on a digital collage incorporating my favorite picture of my family. By family I mean my late grandfather, my mom, my aunts, uncles and cousins. My family is at the core of my essence, they have always been around me and played a major role in my growing up.
I chose to add a photograph I took of the Andean jungles in Ecuador, representing where we came from. In the background I incorporated a cubic pattern, because although my father was not related to this part of my family, he was a huge part of my artistic journey. I labeled my grandfather, my mother, my aunts and uncles with a word I feel best suits them, also placing a halo over my late grandfather's head representing his death.
Perhaps I am a little more tender when it comes to the topic of my family for the reason that my aunt labeled as “hope” is currently undergoing chemotherapy treatment for pancreatic cancer. This photograph has been symbolic to me in terms of losing my innocence by soon losing a key person in my childhood.
