(Mizizi: Roots in Swahili)

The wall art installation explores the complex and nonlinear nature of my connection to my ancestry. It consists of a series of sections arranged in a cascading formation, with each section featuring a different part of my lineage.

The central theme of the installation is the idea that our connection to our ancestry is not a linear one, but rather a complex web of interlocking roots and tendrils that enable and support each other. 

The section of the wall engulfed by the intricate network of lines and shapes that “move” along it, cutting the corner to the adjacent wall, suggests the interconnectedness of all things. The intended effect was for the piece to be both overwhelming and calming, evoking a sense of being rooted in a larger, more expansive network of relationships and connections.

Overall, “Mizizi” invites you, the viewer, to contemplate your own connection to your ancestry and the larger web of relationships that make up our world.

Family ties