“The black ether book started out as a way to make sense of the world and decolonize my own mind, the book project has now become an initiative to present and archive history from the black perspective. The first book is an accumulation of writings, theories, images and transcribed conversations from 13 black artists. The hope is that these testimonials will bring comfort and education.” - Warren Jones
“I dont have much to say about what this book is. It’s artisanal in it’s own way, a craft we fear losing. It’s a partnership of the mind and hands. It’s a voice likely to be quieted by the industry of academia. Would they even pick up the scent without incentive of social relevance? I would love to heal myself with what the earth has given me. I would love to discover my right to heal others. We were born to remember something we know we forgot. We know “they” wanted us to forget. We know that much.
I saw it in people I love dearly. We ask them for whatever reason, “What are you doing? why are you acting like this?
You are you. You are Black. You are
enough. Aren’t I enough? You are me and I am you and we just are.”
As if they don’t remember. Or somewhere down the forks of life they bought into some deal of devaluation for the sake of a blank slate, a new space to exist in, new ideas to adopt.
Who hasn’t been hurt by people who seem to not remember?
That’s why we came together.
That’s why this came together. “
Cierra Artis
Participants:
Jalen Frizzel
Zaya Solange
Yara
Sister Savage
Djavan
Raan
Grand Rahba
Thioro Nikiru
Malcolm Peacock
Cierra Artis
Claire Green
Kayul
Warren Jones
