Incarnation
I directed, filmed, and edited Incarnation to be presented as part of the Gallatin Arts Festival and the Nasty Women Unite Fest. It explores the identity of Yemonja, a Goddess of the Yoruba people of West Africa, who was syncretised into Christian Latin-American culture as a result of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade. Within Afro-Latin communities, Yemonja is conceptualized in multiple forms, most commonly as a mermaid. Christian colonial forces in the Americas humanized Yemonja in the form of a black Madonna. The two interpretations of the same deity exemplify the adaptation of idols across cultures and the contrasting and sometimes conflicting ideals of these cultures. In this film Yemonja is presented as a figurative character adorned with Afro-Latin symbolism, while the Madonna is illuminated in her humanized form. The choreography embodies Yemonja’s struggle to reconcile her multiple identities and is mirrored by the competing sounds and visuals.
