Other — Projects

Last year as everything came to a standstill due to the pandemic, a lot of people turned to the great outdoors, national parks, and road trips for respite, leisure, and a chance to connect and ground in something deeper. In the past few decades, we have seen so much Black trauma in relation to cars and transportation, from “driving while black” and policing, even physical harm or death in the cases of Philando Castile, Sandra Bland, Jacob Blake, and unfortunately many others. The rich history of Black people and their ties to cars isn’t often explored, but automobiles were a main mode of transportation for Black families during The Great Migration and later, as status symbols, escape, transition, and road tripping as well as a way to create their own versions of the “American Dream,” and to connect with loved ones.

In a way, Black people have always been “in transit” and “in transition” whether it be the forced journey to this country, marching for their rights or seats on the bus, or in longing and moving towards something better.

This month, Spinning Home Movies curator Ciera McKissick takes us on a road trip of her own, with scenes from the South Side Home Movie Project archives illustrating Black transition and travel. Oscillating between first person viewer and voyeur, viewers will experience the road as though they were on a journey themselves through Chicago, South Dakota, Los Angeles, Tokyo, France, Germany and more, set to the music of DJ SKoli, AMFM Resident DJ, who will act as our radio soundtrack on the road.

Inspired by Arthur Jafa's "Love is the message" collage style video, Artist, Ciera McKissick, presents, Black Independence Day All Day — a glimpse into black history and black contemporary culture, centered on moments of joy and freedom rather than trauma. Black Independence Day asks the questions "What does freedom look like? What stories will and should be told about black history?" These questions are answered through a visual representation and explores the parallels of black identity through a historical and modern day context in a series of spliced videos and audio.