Stolen Land, 2023.
was a performance and installation done on the 4th of July, in Richmond, Virginia. Taking place at Dogwood Dell, the location is the annual gathering point for one of the local fireworks shows. As spectators trickled in and claimed their spots on the lawn in the early parts of the evening, Christina Sadovnikov and I arranged a collection of miniature American flags which spelled out, ‘Stolen Land.’
The piece was meant to acknowledge the original stewards of the land (Pamunkey, Monacan, and Chickahominy), and the plundering they went through at the hands of whites. The phrase, Stolen Land was used in an effort to bring light to the relativity of terms like ‘independence’ and ‘freedom.’ Two words/ideas that the American flag is often synonymous with and are frequently splayed across home and lawn decor for the holiday.
In addition, the staked flag harks back to the land rushes started by President Benjamin Harrison when ‘boomers’ were encouraged to ‘stake their claim of the land that was usurped by the government from the Cherokee Nation.
The performance, hidden under the guise of patriotism, was left on display throughout the night for spectators to view and reflect on.
Photos by Christina Sadovnikov
Filed Under: Public Art, Sculpture, Place-Based, Monuments, Public Memory, Ready-Made.
was a performance and installation done on the 4th of July, in Richmond, Virginia. Taking place at Dogwood Dell, the location is the annual gathering point for one of the local fireworks shows. As spectators trickled in and claimed their spots on the lawn in the early parts of the evening, Christina Sadovnikov and I arranged a collection of miniature American flags which spelled out, ‘Stolen Land.’
The piece was meant to acknowledge the original stewards of the land (Pamunkey, Monacan, and Chickahominy), and the plundering they went through at the hands of whites. The phrase, Stolen Land was used in an effort to bring light to the relativity of terms like ‘independence’ and ‘freedom.’ Two words/ideas that the American flag is often synonymous with and are frequently splayed across home and lawn decor for the holiday.
In addition, the staked flag harks back to the land rushes started by President Benjamin Harrison when ‘boomers’ were encouraged to ‘stake their claim of the land that was usurped by the government from the Cherokee Nation.
The performance, hidden under the guise of patriotism, was left on display throughout the night for spectators to view and reflect on.
Photos by Christina Sadovnikov
Filed Under: Public Art, Sculpture, Place-Based, Monuments, Public Memory, Ready-Made.