Retracing Narratives
2019
Materials: Bagasse (sugarcane) paper, graphite, wire.
Comprised of over 100 tracings of articles, logos, diagrams, and personal accounts, this work follows sugar from the hands of the cane cutter to the hands of corporate entities around the world. Through the act of tracing, this work is a slow study—or meditation—on this resource that links my Guyanese family to the country of my citizenship.
My mother grew up on a sugarcane plantation in Guyana. She was raised primarily by my great grandmother—the cane cutter. My mother’s written reflection is at the core of this work. From the descriptions of the razor-like leaves of the cane, to the taste of raw cane juice, these personal accounts counter the cool objectivity of the processing, marketing, and distributing of sugar in the UK (Tate and Lyle) and in the US (American Sugar Refinery). This work extends from the body of the worker, to the consumer, to product sales—all of which are so implicitly tied.
