Af-Fixing Ceremony: Four Movements for Essex, Movement I: Essex + Audre
Synopsis
Between 2014 and 2017, McClodden revived the work of deceased Black queer artists who were active during the 1980s AIDS epidemic, including the poet and activist Essex Hemphill. Here, McClodden remakes a scene from Marlon Riggsâs essay-film Tongues Untied (1989), in which Hemphill recites a passage from writer Audre Lordeâs Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches (1984). McClodden describes the video as âa portrait of self-contained conflict and rage,â with Hemphill gazing directly into the camera. Conceived as a âduetâ between Hemphill and Lorde, it also underscores Hemphillâs commitment to Black feminist thought, highlighting the transfer of language and influence from one poet-activist to another. [Overview Courtesy of MoMA]
Where to watch
Not currently available to stream in United States.
