2023 AnkhLave Garden Project Fellows who presented at Brooklyn Botanic Garden: Jasmine Murrell, Natsuki Takauji, Amanda Martinez, Seema Lisa Pandya, and Niceli Portugal
We present DNA Garden, an exhibition highlighting the fruition of two year-long artists cohorts for the AnkhLave Garden Project Fellowships in 2022 and 2023. Like the cyclical growth of a garden, their creative journeys delved into personal histories and experiences while responding to the natural environments. Works crafted to withstand the elements carry the marks of weathering, as well as traces of curious wildlife and inquisitive human visitors. These artists, who were selected from an open call, are BIPOC with ancestries hailing from many corners of the Earth. Through the fellowship's structure, collaboration and exchange, their unique voices came to the fore. Together, they explored concepts of identity, community, and the parallels between human and botanical life cycles, unfolding the narratives of their outdoor pieces. This first Ankhlave Biennial is a follow up exhibition to the public works they showcased in these botanical gardens where they continuously unfold the legacy of their Indigenous heritages through contemporary art.
AnkhLave was Founded and Directed by Visual Artist, Dario Mohr.