Adejoke Tugbiyele (American/Nigerian, born 1977)'Ancestral Call' (2018)
plastic sunglasses, skull, palm spines, tempera paint, spray paint, wire
63 x 24 x 28cm (24 13/16 x 9 7/16 x 11in).注脚When asked to comment on the inspiration behind this installation, the artist made the following statement:

"Those who were living, yet now passed, continue to inform us. We are guided in our consciousness by their memory and legacies in making wise decisions for the present and future. My ancestral lineage of the Yoruba and indeed other African cultures spend abundant resources and effort celebrating this concept through festivals, masquerade and performance. One might also consider rituals like Cinco de Mayo and the conception of The Saints in the religious realm, among others. In Ancestral Spirits, I re-appropriated the oil funnel (commonly associated with material wealth and exploitation) and adorned it with vividly coloured palm spines (traditionally associated with the Christian feast, Palm Sunday). The headdress is both a royal crown and symbol of spiritual devotion: the spines point up towards the heavens, reminding us of supernatural forces or guardian spirits.

Although the work was initially inspired by my late grandfather, Prof. (Chief) Emmanuel Akande Tugbiyele, I write this statement at a time when the world mourns great figures like Aretha Franklin and Kofi Annan. In addition, the lives of those lost in the wake of violence remind us of how precious life is and the love, reverence, respect and humility we must demonstrate towards fellow human beings. Ancestral Call accepts death not as an ending but as a transition with broader lessons and implications for the living."