Art project picture 04
After being one with the wood pile for a while I returned in white, lay down again in on other posture after I was being baptized with maize flour and cassava flour.
Deforestation is the main focus in this art project where I “investigated” tree ways to handle with this ready-made rectangular object. Looked at it from another angle we could say it is a symbolic and ritualistic way to “mourn” about the loss of these trees in a country (Zambia) where 90% of the people are believing, in a self-proclaimed Cristian nation, failing to protect the environment and its animal wildlife, especially when it is a borderline case. We could also questioned what is mourned here: that the trees are illegally demolished in particular or that the people are unable to be strict about the borders of a protected forest area. When you always give way on a borderline case in loss for nature, where will it end? Making a site specific artwork on this found object, or call it readymade art, was a bless to me, but will it be a bless to humankind remains the question.
Using Maize and Cassavas flour in this combination I hope will provoke the discussion (in Zambia and Malawi at least) what is cultural staple food/eating tradition or “forced on” tradition, or at least know what your history is and tell (remember) it correctly. If I do I do that myself is one my quest as well, but I try my best. There are traces found in the history of maize flour stating this food was even brought in to Africa through the slave traders, well, I only know of what I read that maize plants are cultivated in South-America before the maize plants (and maize flour) reached Africa.