A ten-year-old girl is told by her grandmother to grab a switch from the tree on the front lawn. Walking towards the tree, the child forgets the tears streaming down her face and the unstableness of her legs. For a while, she stares at the tree halted by its charm and elegance. However, with a gust of cold wind, she remembers its purpose. Snatching the ugliest branch, she picks two flowers off of it, then walks inside.
Grab Me a Switch is a family tree that comments on the inherent link between the effects of slavery/racism on Black families and the maintenance of white American societal structures.
Through imperfect sewing techniques, ripped pieces of cloth, family photos, and symbols of beauty and oppression; Mikai archives the history of her family lineage.
Cyanotype on Raw Cotton, Stuffed with Raw Cotton
4 x 3 ft.