Arrow references the four directions, the elements, and the Anishinaabeg Seven Fires Prophecy as foundational starting points to engage cross-cultural intersecting themes of migration, ecological devastation, intergenerational and historical trauma, and individual and collective responsibility. The works weave together charged materials like gunpowder and archival images, accompanied by a sound piece that collages personal narratives and pop music with research from Indigenous and Black scholars and activists to rethink the Statue of Liberty and the Birth of the New World monuments. This mash-up resulted in a sound installation of the audio essay A cross is an Arrow that points four ways and includes four wall sculptures and a ritual candle-making participatory work.
The audio essay, whose narrative is non-linear and circular, inspired by Caribbean Native mythologies and the Seven Fires Prophecy, was split into five speakers across the room. The complete audio essay played at the center of the room via a parabolic speaker, and parts of the essay played from the four stereo speakers at the corners. The parts (stereo speakers) are layered on top of the complete audio essay (parabolic speaker) to create an echo or a glitch. Over time, the layered sounds grew discordant as gaps and delays emerged, rendering the narrator’s words almost illegible. While guests engaged with the installation, I brewed a pot of wax and invited them to participate in ritual candle-making. These one-on-one candle-brewing sessions became moments for meditation and rest as participants and I connected over the topics being disseminated. As we communed, I described the healing properties of the plant materials and guided participants individually in brewing their unique wax blend. These individual gestures of poured wax spilled out from the marginal spaces of the room, layering on top of each other to form a collective gesture of accumulated intentions.