The Destruction of Two Cultures: Mass Grave

Title

Description

This assemblage, a piece integrated with related work "Slave Ship," primarily features an area of the yard of Joe Minter's "African Village in America" dedicated to containing a conglomerate of items, scrap metals, and stones. The assemblage is enclosed within the metal railings of "Slave Ship," which features a variety of signs attached. Beneath a sign on white metal which reads "GOD HEAR OUR CRY SAVE ALL OF US" lies numerous golf clubs, some of which are rested on wooden chunks and poles, and some of which are attached to the railings by steel chains. A cross formed from red bricks is arranged on the ground in front of the sign and golf clubs. Moving inward to the central focus of the artwork, a multitude of objects are piled inside up inside of the railings, including the following: broken pieces of metal of varying oxidization levels, broken chunks of stones, metal containers and lids, broken pieces of shovels, piping, working gloves, boots, black tarps, rusted metal rods, metal springs, tree branches, chunks of wood, and a children's toy rocking horse. Steel chains are interwoven among the items throughout the pile of objects, particularly in the center of the pile strung over the rusted metal rods. On the left side of the piece, around the perimeter of the pile, there is a sign that has been created on a flat piece of metal in black paint. This sign reads "SLAVERY / LOST FREEDOM / AGONY / DEATH / GOD DELIVER US FROM THIS MISERY." In the center of the pile of the of objects, a flag pole stands with a damaged, torn American flag attached to it, flying over both "Mass Grave" and "Slave Ship."

Subject

Assemblages (sculpture) See all items with this value

Transatlantic slave trade See all items with this value

Creator

Minter, Joe

Language

English

Type

Assemblages (sculpture) See all items with this value

Format

found objects

metal piping

wood

golf clubs

brick

metal plating

metal scraps

steel chains

children's toys

gloves

boots

shovels

crutches

american flag

stone

Item