Still we rise

2024 marks a full decade for me living, working, and discovering myself in Detroit. As I thought about the theme of "Still We Rise," I reflected on what I have witnessed and experienced of Detroit’s incredible community over these ten years.

This is what you see in Self-Portrait, Detroit 2024. It is an image filled with 40 extraordinary people—friends, mentors, artists, designers, musicians, children, thinkers, doers, and innovators. On one level, it is a self-portrait. These are all people who I am close to—people I cherish and respect. As I considered what has enabled me to rise to a place where I can fully be myself, I thought of the richness of soul that the solidarity and love of these people have given me.

The portrait centers incredible Black women who have created a safe space for me to flourish and live authentically. I remember my first artist showcase, when a mentor pictured here came up to me and said, “I’ve got you—I’m like a mom to you now,” which meant the world to me.

The portrait also speaks to its impact on me. Growing up in Jamaica, there was a culture of toxic hyper-masculinity. Any form of softness or femininity was seen as weak and frowned upon in consideration for abuse both physically and verbally. What I learned from this community was the possibility and potential of duality, of softness, and of embracing a much more complex and interesting understanding of masculinity. It has enabled me to show up and bring my whole self to my work and to my community.

On another level, it is a self-portrait of Detroit in 2024. Each of these people has contributed immensely to the community, culture, and landscape of Detroit—artists, educators, and mentors. Sometimes, in the narratives of Detroit, we miss the people behind the city. Here is an intergenerational portrait of those who have lived and created that history, and those who are creating its future now—people of all ages and in all their different capacities. (Meet the people featured in the portrait, starting from the left of the artwork, i.e character holding a basket with mangos and dragon fruit to the right, ending with the model holding the bouquet of flowers):

It is how we rise, individually and together, through the solidarity that we share. I see faces of strength, beauty, pride and peace, made possible by the unity of the collective. There were people in here who have long histories together that I didn’t even know about that emerged in this portrait. You can feel those bonds in Detroit and they are bonds of memory and hope.

Some of the things to discover in the portrait:

• The Sun and the Moon: Hidden slightly towards the top, people sit under and respond to the sun and moon in the sky. This represents the beginning and the end, the cyclical nature of life and time. It signifies where life begins, where batons are passed, and where eras transition. It conveys that at this moment in time, this is a self-portrait of an ever-evolving Detroit, where the sun will rise again tomorrow.

• The Kora and the Harp: I am a harpist, and the harp is an instrument whose history is often misunderstood and assumed to be of European origin. However, harps, lyres, bows, and other harp-like instruments have existed across Africa for thousands of years. For example, the kora from West Africa is a beautiful instrument historically used to tell stories across generations, capable of transporting listeners through space and time.

The presence of both the kora and the harp speaks to our need to reclaim the full richness and complexity of our history alongside the modern pedal harp we know today. Understanding this shared heritage allows us to appreciate the diverse cultural contributions to music and recognize the deep, interconnected roots that shape our musical and cultural landscape.

This project was done for the intended purpose of being a public sculpture where careful planning and considerations were made in developing the design and concept to be placed on the shape of a West African talking drum. See my Instagram for additional detailed shots and videos.

Credits

Ackeem Salmon (ART DIRECTOR / PHOTOGRAPHER / SET DESIGNER / ARTIST), Jalyn Baity (PRODUCTION COORDINATOR), Sara Ketchum (ASSISTANT PROD. COORDINATOR), Thomas Pawlowski (CINEMATOGRAPHER), Wes Amica (GAFFER), Khary Mason (GRIP), Mark Rutherford (DIT), Cathy iCare (STYLING ASSISTANT), Nneka Jackson (PROPS/ACCESSORIES), Laina Martin & Kyra Fuller (FLORISTS), Raymar (PHOTO PA), Tyler Russell (SET PA / ART PA), Caria Taylor (SET PA), Brianna Bryson (SET PA), Aidan Sullivan (SET PA), and Cara Marie Young (SET PA).