“Orixas. I took a picture of these paintings in the market across the Elevador Lacerda in Salvador, Brazil. If anyone knows the name of the artist I would love to give him/her credit. What I love about the Orixas is the subversive nature of their presence in Latin American culture. Imagine being dragged from your home, raped, tortured, and basically treated worse than an animal together with people from a vast continent whose languages you don’t understand. Dragged across the ocean, your identity, beliefs, language beaten out of you so you could bow to the cross while being whipped in the back. Imagine building nations with your bloody hands and sweat. Being told you are ugly, stupid, not even human for generations. Despite all that horror it’s so beautiful to see traces and powerful symbols of African culture throughout the region. Maybe the names are pronounced differently but the essence is there! Axé!”
These are gorgeous!
Sherese Francis: Futuristically Ancient 