Art Share L.A. Artwork
Freedom Maps (hair) 3 by Zoe Blaq
Freedom Maps (hair) 3 by Zoe Blaq
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2024
Sketched laser print on distressed steel
Cornrows served as a subtle form of rebellion and resistance for enslaved Africans, allowing them to maintain their cultural heritage while also providing a covert method for sharing information like escape routes, safe houses, and transporting grains and seeds. These intricate hairstyles became a means for slaves to communicate secretly with one another, as different patterns could convey coded messages while preserving heritage and tradition. One of the most notable examples of this practice occurred in Colombia, where Benkos Biohò, a royal captured by the Portuguese from the Bissagos Islands, escaped enslavement and established a Palenque village in Northern Colombia. There, he developed an intelligence network, innovatively using women to create 'maps' and relay messages through their cornrows.
Floating on Cotton: Freedom Maps, Trade Routes and City Codes
Floating on Cotton: Freedom Maps, Trade Routes, and City Codes offers an exploration of migration and trade through the lens of art and environmentalism. The exhibition draws on Zoe Blaq’s extensive experience with urban gardening and food justice, connecting these themes with the histories of colonialism, resistance, and global movement. The work explores how maps, trade routes, and city codes have shaped and continue to shape the experiences of people across the world. Zoe’s art aims to provoke a dialogue on freedom and identity in the context of contemporary struggles, while encouraging the healing power of collective creation.