tell me to King Akwa´s Staff

The one chair

The title of this work is: A Seat At The Table. It is a work that appeals to put the focus on yourself. I believe that sometimes a form of isolation is required to generate an emancipated liberation. It is up to us to deconstruct the narrative of Black people constructed by society. Of course, it is also important for non-Black people to systematically critique their sometimes false conception of Black people by rooting them in the ideology of the existing social order. Although we have been separated from each other and are globally dispersed I believe that we are connected in spirit. Not only because of the collective experience of pain, but especially because of the gifts of strength, talents and love that our ancestors have left us. This is not just any chair to me. It is THE ONE CHAIR that makes me reminisce. Family cook-outs, get-togethers with friends, street-markets... briefly just having a good time and minding YOUR business. Regardless of what memories they are exactly, I personally associate these chairs with my people. It’s a very personal or even self-portrayal approach, yet I´m trying to get from the personal to the universal and that’s why I´d be interested to know what you associate with these chairs? Maybe it’s something similar or perhaps something completely different? 
Laurel Chokoago, artist, Hamburg