Detail showing cowrie shells The cowrie shell was one of the most successful and universal forms of currency in the world. In West Africa, the shell developed a deeper symbolic and ritualistic meaning throughout history that is still recognized in modern cultures. The size, shape and minimal weight of the little white shells made them suitable as a form of exchange. Cowrie shells carry great symbolism. In African legend, they represent the protective power of the ocean goddess Yemaya. Their rounded shape is attributed to their association with fertility, and the slit where the shell folds in on itself is said to look like a black pupil, making it popular as a symbol of protection against the evil eye. It is used as a divination tool in traditional spiritual practices.
Jamaican visual artist Jasmine Thomas-Girvan is one of five Caribbean artists involved in a ground-breaking art education project, The Transatlantic Slave Trade, launched on Thursday 11 August across the UK. Thomas-Girvan’s focus was Mother Africa ‘Beyond Time and Space’ – a celebration of the fertility of African knowledge systems and imagination.
Style Observer (SO) caught up with the artist in the middle of a shoot at the National Gallery of Jamaica, where her work is part of the current Biennale.
“I was contacted in November 2021 by Artistic Director Ashley Scott Adjaye inviting me to be one of five Caribbean artists to be involved in this ground-breaking arts education project which will launch in eight cities across the UK in 2022. The focus of the Project is to transform the way we understand the transatlantic slave trade and its impact on all of us. It’s a dream project! My work has always been fueled by our history and culture,” she shared.
“The subject – the transatlantic slave trade – forces us to critically examine the predatory systems that flourished in the slave trade. For some, just one examination may be enough as we live in a time of form over substance and brand hype feeds complacency of our society.
“For too long, the story of the transatlantic slave trade has been untold, mistreated or misrepresented. In the UK, the abolition of the trade is celebrated while elegantly glossing over the monstrous details of the people who were enslaved and their descendants, the role of Britain in trade the creation and destructive legacy of trade.
“To bring this discussion to the public, World reimagined and conceived the Sculpture Trail to bravely confront our shared history with honesty, sensitivity and grace. But it is more than a public art project. There are some beautifully nuanced aims of this project that includes art. , education, community activism and outreach. It’s a project that’s been carefully planned and just as neatly executed by a dedicated community,” continued Thomas-Girvan.
The opportunity involved a two-part artistic residency – three weeks in Wysing mainly doing research and planning and three weeks in Cove Park, Scotland, where the work was actually done. As part of the residency, Thomas-Girvan was invited to share her experience and practice with the public through an engagement with young people at Camden Arts Centre. The project team also facilitated museum visits and many key interactions with relevant institutions and partners.
Asked by SO about how nervous she was before the unveiling, the artist confessed that she was “excited, really! The healing resonance of over 100 artistic visions focused on uplifting our people is phenomenal!
“The purpose of this project is not simply that of optics, but it will be a stunning visual display! It’s about restorative justice!
“As the project has developed, it has been inspiring to see justice operationalized beyond universally accepted goals. The project involves a lot of community outreach, and to ensure that the work continues beyond this project, the fundraising auction is truly a maneuver visionary! These thoughtful strategies make me even more proud to be part not so much of a project, but of a movement that represents the ancient philosophy of Ubuntu – ensuring that human dignity is at the core of your thoughts, deeds and actions!
The project seeks to recalibrate accepted narratives about Africa, to bring to light the true history of the slave trade, and in so doing to free us all into a more generative future.”
And how does she think ‘others’ will agree to the same?
“Honestly, this story is brutal! I think the value is in telling our story. History has been monopolized by those who have benefited and therefore have everything to lose. It’s time to tell the truth. The presence of multiple narratives, through multiple voices, makes it easier to enter that zone of reflection. The globe shape forces the viewer to literally navigate their way around the story. It requires more than a trained, uncommitted gaze; you have to invest a little of yourself in the unfolding of the story! So it actually makes room for an account in a good way! Reparations for me is about repair – The world of Reimagined is, at its core, built on the belief in the transformative power of art: to inspire, move and open our imaginations to new possibilities.
“I think it can also depend on where you stand. I imagine many emotions—guilt, fear, anger, arrogance, regret among them, but I feel pride, joy, acceptance, enlightenment, comfort, humility, and liberation that resonate strongly.”
Editor’s note: The other four Caribbean creators are Ras Akyem Ramsay, from Barbados; Tamika Galanis of the Bahamas; Rodell Warner, Trinidad and Tobago; and Carol Sorry of Dominica.
The globes will be on display on the Sculpture Trail in eight UK cities until October, when there will be a number of festive events culminating in an auction by Bonhams in December, the proceeds of which will fuel a project to continuing legacy of racial justice.
And what’s next for Jasmin Thomas-Girvan…
“As I research my next job… the winds from the Pacific whisper.
Visual artist Jasmine Thomas-Girvan.
An Akan Gold Boat Weight Akan gold weights were used as a system of measurement by the Akan people of West Africa. These elegant objects were essential tools for trade in West Africa until the late 19th century. Beyond their practical application, scales are emblems of tradition and social values carefully crafted to illustrate proverbs and fairy tale wisdom. They illuminate the intricacies of a complex society, keeping memories of battles, myths and legends alive as an art form. Their importance goes beyond their utility and reflects broader Asante spiritual beliefs. They show how materials, ideas and technology have been exchanged between different parts of the African continent and Europe for centuries.
Thomas-Girvan putting the finishing touches on the globe at Cove Park Scotland..
[Carry together]Thomas-Girvan putting the finishing touches on the globe at Cove Park Scotland..
An example of an Ibeji twin sculpture in the National Museums of Scotland The carved wooden twin figures in the British Museum led me to discover that the Yoruba people from the Congo region have the highest incidence of twin births in the world. I find this indicator in a world of declining fragile fertility…A higher than average number of twins are born on the African continent compared to other parts of the world. The Yoruba people, as well as other African cultures, attribute supernatural origins and spiritual powers to twins. As a result, the twins are considered extraordinary beings protected by Sango, the deity of thunder. They are believed to be capable of bestowing immense wealth on their families or misfortune on those who disrespect them. The two figures on the globe stand as sentinels to commemorate this astonishing biological gift.
The details.
An in situ image of the globe at Snowsfields, London..
Beyond time and space.
