▪ The scrolling narration is the full text, word for word, of a conversation I had with Dawit Kahsay as he described his travels from Eritrea to Texas. This is in the window of the gallery so is shown at night so it can be viewed; it is scrolling all night long: 7pm until 7am.
▪There are headphones to listen to his narration i
▪Laminated books of his narration are provided to read
▪ Beside the scrolling narration, it is a motion-activated projection of various imagery (found, filmed, and drawn) that illustrate his journey. Movement in front of the window cue another stage of his movement across the ocean and land.
Paintings
▪ “and also with you 10” women carrying children; watercolor and gauche on paper, 16 x 13, 2021
▪ “and also with you 12 ” man carrying child; oil on panel, 12 x12, 2021
These two paintings are part of a series of refugees and immigrants carrying their children. They are paper cut-outs that are placed on separate paper or on a wood panel, the cutouts representing their extreme displacement. Dawit Kahsay now lives is 8,208 miles from his original home.
▪ “borderlands 2” landscape; oil on panel, 12 x12, 2020
Depiction of the areas of land and districts near a border. Dawit Kahsay spent much time traveling in the borderlands with smugglers and other people seeking sanctuary
▪Border Wall paintings: “and also with you #1” & “and also with you #3” ; oil on panels, 22 x 9, 2020
Two paintings of both sides of the American/Mexican border wall were Dawit Kahsay last stop before he found refuge in Austin. The paintings are mirrored to describe their absurd separation on a landscape
Miscellaneous
Sticks, branches, leaves
These items were gathered at Harriman State Park as an offering and blessing of items gathered from open and public land
Pitcher and Bowl
Represent Pope Frances washing of the feet of refugees, which included those from Eritrea. My drawings of Pope Frances washing the feet of refugees are included in the motion-activated projection.