Lotus Moment: Sankofa

Why This Is Awesome: In early October, while following sound quarantine guidelines issued by the city, I made my way over to Akwaaba Gallery in Newark's West Ward to support the opening of their fall exhibition, Vanishing Boundaries. As what would become only my second (and last) in-person gallery opening of the year, I was excited to see the works of so many great local artists while also enjoying the camaraderie and energy of one of the most resilient art scenes on the Eastern seaboard.

Quite a few works stood out in the exhibition, but this artwork pictured above titled, "Ancestral Call," felt especially poignant and magnetic. I couldn't quite put my finger on why at the time, but now, I can.

"Ancestral Call" is a collaboration by artists Bryant Small and Suliman Onque, and regardless of intention, I found that the mixture of styles, colors, angles, depths, textures and imagery not only implicitly captures the dreamlike emotional state of our current global transformation, it also reflects the spiritual path our parents, grandparents, and ancestors collectively shared, and who today, watch over us as we carry on.

It's for that reason, this work feels like the perfect Lotus Moment to share in the last month of 2020, as well as to share the week of the Great Conjunction. Here's to connecting with our past, so we can understand our present, and triumphantly move toward our future.

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Top Image: "Ancestral Call" by Bryant Small and Suliman Onque