Ancestors Grove: A Space Journey

 Ancestor's Grove: A Space Journey 

This art installation was created by African American lighting designers / visual artists / scientists Stephanie Anne Johnson and Kevin E Myrick. It is a creative manifestation of our exploration of outer space, African ancestral practices, nature, and sustainable resources. We have chosen the baobab tree, one of the oldest and tallest organisms on earth whose symbolic and medicinal qualities are a unique part of our African legacy. Ancestor's Grove: A Space Journey is our Afro Futurist vision of the intersection between legacy, nature and technology, and the bond between humans and the spirit world. We created Ancestor's Grove: A Space Journey specifically for the Autumn Lights Festival.

Using rope, fiber board, cardboard, braided paper, raffia, and mixed media we created a grove of baobab "trees". Their roots flow out into a braided green solar light ground covering. Suspended from the branches are oversized seedpods and African masks. These objects are illuminated using solar lights. Yellow solar flowers will run along the branches between the masks and pods. Solar lights placed in the front of the art installation will throw light and shadows onto the adjacent trees. Twinkling green laser lights provide a swarm of fireflies. 

We are very excited about the opportunity to participate in the 2021 Autumn Lights Festival and offer a unique Afro-Futurist approach in creating this public art installation. We are both long-time lighting designers and this is our first collaboration outside of the theatre.