photo by Cherylynn Tsushima; courtesy of Jacob’s Pillow

photo by Cherylynn Tsushima; courtesy of Jacob’s Pillow

photo by Cherylynn Tsushima; courtesy of Jacob’s Pillow

photo by Cherylynn Tsushima; courtesy of Jacob’s Pillow

photo by Cherylynn Tsushima; courtesy of Jacob’s Pillow

photo by Cherylynn Tsushima; courtesy of Jacob’s Pillow

photo by Cherylynn Tsushima; courtesy of Jacob’s Pillow

photo by Cherylynn Tsushima; courtesy of Jacob’s Pillow

photo by Cherylynn Tsushima; courtesy of Jacob’s Pillow

photo by Cherylynn Tsushima; courtesy of Jacob’s Pillow

photo by Cherylynn Tsushima; courtesy of Jacob’s Pillow

photo by Cherylynn Tsushima; courtesy of Jacob’s Pillow

swallow the moon
2021

swallow the moon is the second in a series of lamentations that mark the rupture between a precolonial West African body and the charged space of identity within a contemporary Black body. At the heart of this epic song is a mother’s wail with the gravitational force of generations. It signals a mother’s grief for a lost daughter. Her cries are doubled in embodied shadows that gather around her–cries so loud, with a mouth going so wide, she would swallow the world. 

conceived, composed and performed by Okwui Okpokwasili
with additional collaboration by Lucia Betelou, Willow Green, Julianna Massa, Adriana Ogle

headpieces designed by Peter Born and Okwui Okpokwasili
scenic elements and audio design by Peter Born

poor people's tv room poor people's tv room (solo) installation poor people's tv room solo Adaku's revolt pent-up: a revenge dance repose without rest without end swallow the moon on the way, undone at the anterior edge procession Bronx gothic: the oval day pulls down the sky Bronx gothic sitting on a man's head adaku, part 1: the road opens
swallow the moon
on the way, undone