In many traditional African societies, storytellers are revered as holders of wisdom, assuming multifaceted roles as educators, cultural archivists, and community protectors. One of the most iconic figures in West African storytelling is Anansi, a trickster who is most commonly depicted as a human man or spider. Anansi’s narratives, a source of entertainment, empowerment, and even admonishment, made their way to the West by way of the Transatlantic slave trade, which ensnared much of the Caribbean, including my ancestral homeland, St. Vincent.
Utilizing these fables as a point of departure, “Dreams of Anansi” is a tribute to those who have safeguarded not only ancestral wisdom but also the sanctity of the land. It is an ode to rekindling historical deference to the entropy of nature and embracing indigenous ways of communion with the Earth. Set on the island of St. Vincent, the piece features overlaid images dancing between landscapes and surreal elements, gesturing towards a transcendent realm, untethered by the temporal and spatial constraints that bind our everyday reality.
Anansi is featured traversing the island, observing the cycles of destruction, cleansing, and rebirth ushered forth by volcanic eruptions. This stands in stark contrast to the recent devastation wrought by the eruptions of Soufriére beginning in 2020—a consequence not simply of the whims of nature, but of centuries-long deprivation, the relentless march of climate change, and the dual forces of capitalism and colonialism.
Spectators are invited to engage with the artwork introspectively, contemplating the reciprocal relationship between land and culture.
By juxtaposing historical reverence and storytelling against the contemporary specter of destruction, “Dreams of Anansi” tells a new tale about nature. The visuals mirror the intricate dance of chaos and creation, humanity and nature, and past and present.
Ultimately, "Dreams of Anansi" urges viewers to heed the wisdom of generations past, resist ongoing threats to environmental symbiosis, and actively construct a world rooted in community, emancipated from the ecological devastation caused by colonization.
