BLACK BLACK BLACK

acrylic, resin, glitter glue on Baltic birch plywood,       2020.       120 x 20 x 2 inches

 This piece conceptually answers the question of what it means to be black, informed by a complex view of the black and colored experiences in the United States. The new symbol honors and tells a story of every race, color, religion, nationality or gender who re-joined and continue to affirm Black Lives Matter.   The work is inspired by Adinkra symbols and the Kente fabric design and four hundred years of history from Ghana West Africa, through the United States. Shapes and colors on the kente fabric hold a distinctive meaning signifying power, earth, strength, wisdom, wealth, community and ancestral spirit. Relatedly, Adinkra symbols encompass non-verbal communicative and aesthetic values, as well as the way of life.  Each design in a letter communicates a unique concept or aphorism about democracy, unity, strength, dignity, death, royalty, freedom, beauty and legacy. The sense of total immersion created inherently by the symbols, forms and shapes and colors, echoes black love and joy, an act that demonstrates a commitment to community, self-love and appreciation, whilst highlighting the aesthetic beauty of the rich culture and values of people of African descent. Symbolically, the piece emphasizes our royalty and heritage, alongside honoring our ancestors through the African Burial Ground. Furthermore, I reference Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s I have a Dream speech in 1963, in which he called for Freedom, civil and economic rights and an end to racism in the United States. 

Baobab: The Tree of Life is inspired by a succulent tree that provides food, medication, and shelter for its surrounding communities. The piece includes a wood Baobab tree, Adinkra symbols, and African fabric designs, all of which will connect viewers to four hundred years of history from the African diaspora. Conceptually, the piece represents what it means to exist with an identity of your choice, regardless of race, color, religion, nationality, gender, or ability.

Symbolically, the piece pays tribute to our royal ancestors through the African Burial Ground and references Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s ‘I have a dream speech’ in 1963, in which he called for Freedom, civil and economic rights, and an end to racism in the United States.

Baobab was on view at Van Cortlandt Park, 2023-24, adjacent to the Tennis Court.

Baobab: Tree of Life is made possible through the generous support of The Jacques and Natasha Gelman Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, and the William Talbott Hillman Foundation.

This project would not have been possible without the work of Beam’s Fellows: Sophia Lawrence, Summer Lee, Daniel Sanchez, Ralphson Mothé, Kimberly Siza, Katherine Chaca, Taemar Ellis, and Odin Robledo. Fellows assisted the Project Production Team of Sam Fisch, Stephen-Bernard Callender, Phillip Castillo, Brett Ricard, Polo Mora, and Devon Smith JR., with fabricating all parts of the project.

Ceramic pigment on porcelain tile   10x25x12 ft.    2024

The Aurelia Greene Educational Campus, 1302 Edward L Grant Highway, Bronx NY

Collection of the NYC Department of Education, Public Art for Public Schools 

Respect for All is a site-specific mural, located in the lobby of the Aurelia Greene Educational Campus, Bronx. Installed on two adjacent walls, the mural features two groups of figures in a library setting. On the main wall behind the security desk, four individuals sew a large, colorful quilt adorned with affirmations like "I am respected," "I am smart," and "I am understood." On the corridor wall, a father is shown reading a book titled "Respect for All" to his young child snuggled on his lap. The quilt stretches across both scenes, cradling the parent and child as they read and visually connecting the two narratives.

Mohammed prepared for this project by visiting libraries around the Bronx. He selected popular children's book titles and incorporated them on the bookshelves in the background of his mural. To create the artwork, Mohammed gathered clippings from magazines, newspapers, local maps, and wrapping papers. He assembled these paper elements and integrated hand-painted components to form an intricate composition layered with text and pattern.

The collage was then photographed and digitally printed with ceramic inks onto porcelain tiles. Warm, inspiring, and full of discoveries, Respect for All celebrates the rich history and diversity of the Bronx. It highlights the power of literacy as a path to creativity and connectedness.

Commissioned by the NYC Department of Education, NYC School Construction Authority Public Art for Public Schools program, in collaboration with NYC Department of Cultural Affairs Percent for Art program

Photo Credit: Etienne Frossard