In The Mix: An Exhibition of Black Diasporic Studies, Remix Culture, Astrology and Sound

Abstract

As a Black biracial woman disconnected from my heritage, I research Afrosonic music histories to connect to my Afro Caribbean culture, while gaining a deeper understanding of the historical and social context of music in the broader Black diaspora. My thesis exhibition, In The Mix, encapsulates this research through a site-specific, interactive installation that incorporates sound, music, collage, personal family photographs and archives, disc-jockeying and experimental turntablism. In addition, as a unique expression of my multifaceted identity, I incorporate astrology as a theoretical and formal framework to analyze unseen elements behind musical releases, as well as to create sonic compositions that evoke ideas of time and space. Through my engagement with remix culture, I utilize both audio and visual samples from existing works and create new works. This process of recombination and repurposing of existing work has enabled me to promote a more nuanced and varied understanding of the complexities of Black identity and diaspora. I embrace a more inclusive and diverse range of perspectives in hopes that my work can resonate with a wider audience and contribute to a more comprehensive narrative of the Black experience.