Slavery Threads - Maria Leite

Photography - Digital Manipulation
20x16
 
Slavery Threads
 
During my doctoral studies, I had the opportunity to visit historical sites while conducting research. Plantations have always provoked my interest as the history of slavery becomes alive in every piece of land, room, and small objects carefully staged to take visitors through this tough time travel. The photo titled Slavery Threads was taken in 2013 during a trip to Baton Rouge, where I attended and presented at the National Association of African American Studies (NAAAS) conference. During my visit to the slaves’ cabin, I focused on details almost in abstract ways, to reflect the limited understanding of the impact of slavery on Black lives until the present day. The image is a result of two superimposed photos of a loom displayed in the slave cabin. The cotton threads in this photography represent the strings of pervasive anti-Black racism in the fabric of society.