ACKEEM SALMON // Remembering Yellow



Remembering Yellow

Remembering Yellow explores my childhood growing up in Jamaica and my adulthood living in Detroit. This body of work acts as a series of self-portraits that show my misplacement and hope of identity in my life. Growing up in Jamaica, I had often felt out of place; being a bit softer spoken, gentler in how I viewed the world around me, I was often criticized on how I expressed myself.

During my childhood and teenage years, my insecurities extended from my overall mannerisms, sexuality, hair texture, skin color, weight, facial features, and overall physical appearance. I have always wanted to understand these internal dialogues, and to question the reasons why others and myself have often felt lost in our own bodies and identities. Looking to Caribbean and African history, I started to have deeper frustrations and questions about colonialism, and its impact on the Caribbean landscape. I began to look into artistic movements like Junkanoo which was used during times of slavery as a way to stimulate hope and humor during the harsh political and social climate. Seeing people dress up in costumes, perform on stilts, listening to music, and going to carnival celebrations- there has always been a deeper sense of joy within Jamaican people in the post-colonial reality. In these works, I reimagine Junkanoo into a more modern sense: to illustrate my personal story and community, using symbols and masks that represent a larger field of internal conflict, vulnerability, and hopefulness.

Remembering Yellow emphasizes the need to live based on one’s true individuality and right to freedom, regardless of social and institutional constraints. It aims to understand both the Afro-Caribbean and African American identity, showing both the pain and hope for myself and others within the African Diaspora.

www.ackeemsalmonart.com