Descendant Perspective: Judith
by Judith A. Gordon, Menokin Descendant and Trustee
As a descendant of Menokin’s enslaved population, my experience with Dineo Seshee Bopape’s exhibit began with making hand molds from the Menokin soil. As I squeezed the soil to make the molds, I thought of my ancestors who walked on this land and wondered what their experience had been. The hand molds made by descendants were placed throughout the exhibit.
Judith’s hand molds in the dim lighting. Photo by Alice French.
The exhibit, entitled Ile aye, moya, là, ndokh…(earth, wind, fire, water) harmonic conversations…mm, presents the viewer with much to contemplate and react to. At a point moving through the opening of the exhibit I wondered about the location of the molds other family members and I had submitted. I arrived at an area where I had a strong intuition that my molds were in that area. Since the molds were similar and the lighting dim I could not be sure.
The next morning, touring the exhibit with Dineo, I shared with her my sense from the previous evening, as we approached that area. She bent down and picked up a small name tag, which I had not seen. My name was on it. Right next to this spot was a display with the name tag of another immediate family member. A spiritual connection…
It is readily apparent that Dineo connects spiritually to and has a profound reverence for the land and other elements addressed in her installation. The exhibit, meeting Dineo and touring the exhibit with her certainly broadened my thinking and increased my own spiritual connection with and reverence for the elements, but most especially the land. Dineo and I believe the ancestors were pleased to be remembered!
Ile aye, moya, là, ndokh...harmonic conversations…mm is open at the Institute for Contemporary Art at VCU until December 19. Learn more about Menokin’s involvement in the creation of the exhibition.
Judith’s hand molds in better lighting. Photo by Alice French.
Dineo and Judith at the exhibition. Photo by Alice French,