WANISHI, 2022

Metal lanterns, 39 cyanolumens on expired silver gelatin paper.
14” x 6” x 6”
 
Wanishi means "Thanks" in the Lenape language. The land on which Elfreth's Alley sits is Lenapehoking, the traditional homelands of the Lenape, also called the Lenni-Lenape or Delaware Indians. Located in 4 (Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, and Delaware) of the 13 colonies, these are the people who negotiated in the 1680s with William Penn to facilitate the founding of the colony of Pennsylvania. Elfreth’s Alley honors the Indigenous peoples who have been and still are living and working on the land and have been caretakers of the land from time immemorial. This land acknowledgment does not exist in the past tense or historic context. Colonialism is a current and ongoing process, and we need to be mindful of our present participation. We would like to encourage our commitment to deepening the ongoing relationship with the Lenape people who live in the area.
 
In these images, the expired photographic paper remains active and affected by the sun, temperature, and humidity. There is no way to know how much time they will be there till they fade or change in texture and color. This temporality is a metaphor for the respect and honor of this land's caretakers, from time immemorial until now, and into the future.
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​To know more about the Lenape Nation

Link for Augmented Reality experience.