/Pamella Saffer
Pamella Saffer
Legacy
found plastic, cane
11″ X 14″
2022
What determines precious or fashionable? What, precisely, do we value? What legacy do we leave for those who come after? What do we do with all this plastic? The oldest living participatory democracy on Earth is widely considered to be the Iroquois Confederacy. Its founding document, the Great Law of the Haudenosaunee, is based on an ancient Iroquois philosophy: “In our every deliberation, we must consider the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations.”
Pamella Saffer
Harriet Tubman— Ashanti Warrior
raffia, corn husks, ecdysis (naturally shed snake skin), plant materials
14″ x 12″ x 22″
2023
Fearless, humble, physically powerful, Harriet Tubman possessed extraordinary clarity, an iron will and unshakable faith. Every aspect of her life exemplified the attributes of her ancestors. She possessed a profound spiritual connection with nature. She used plants for food and medicine. Her family was paramount, and her family extended beyond her biological relatives to all enslaved. She established life long relationships with all who opposed slavery, from generals to white abolitionists. Her entire life, she worked for freedom and equality for all people, including women’s right to vote. She was a formidable Ashanti warrior.