Collection: The Mandem & Gyaldem

"They came in chains in the sixteenth century, torn from the red soils of Benin, the green hills of Ashanti, the gold-laden rivers of Mali. Ships swallowed them whole, and spat them out across waters black with grief. Yet even in that terror, they carried seeds, seeds of memory, seeds of rhythm, seeds of a people’s tomorrow".

The Gyaldem & Mandem are my series of 50+ collages of vivid human figures adorned with national flags, painted onto historical maps and photographs rooted in African, Caribbean, and Black British experiences.

In collaboration with poets, lyricists, and musicians, I've expanded these works into a video installation series called "Where Are You Really From??". With a combination of voices and movement, the Gyaldem & Mandem confront the politics of identity head on, speaking of Love, Heritage, Rage, Violence, and Rebellion.

These works do not just respond; they fight back, transforming symbols of oppression into declarations of presence and power.

The Gyaldem & Mandem represent several different peoples within the African diaspora. Africans, Afro-Caribbeans, Afro-Latinos, Afro-Asians, and Afropeans.

Take the time to step inside the work. Watch, listen, and join the conversation.