Akua Lezli Hope
New York, U.S.A.
Yemaya is the Orisha (god) of the oceans, who
gave birth to all the world's waters. She is the feminine principle of
creation, a mother goddess.
Yemaya is worshipped in the religions of Yoruba,
Santeria, Candomble, Umbanda, Voudoun, and Macumba, in Nigeria, America, Cuba,
Haiti, and Brazil. Her names include Ymoja, Iemanja, Iamanja, Imanja, Iamanje,
Yemanja, Ataramagwa, Yemaya Achabba, Yemaya Oqqutte, and Yemaya Olokun.
Depicted here as merwoman, she is attended by
Mbé, the leatherback sea turtle, Lula, the squid and Eja, the fish. Her domain
includes rosette and brush seaweeds, corals, urchins, sea stars, jellyfish, and
cowries.
This embodies my interest in mythological
imagery, symbolism, and traditions from African and Caribbean cultures. I was
born on an island (Manhattan), of island people (Montserrat and Jamaica).
African visual language expresses the union of human beings and nature. They
are part of my thought and art. The creation of this art becomes my ritual, is
my work and prayer, that the sea remain clean, healthy, free.
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