The Podium at One World Trade
Slavery came to Manhattan in 1626. In 1711, a market for the sale of the enslaved opened on a pier at Wall Street on the East River. By legislative act, it was where men, women, and children were sold daily. The city had the second largest slave market in North America, surpassed only by Charleston, South Carolina. By 1850, one in five people in New York City was enslaved.
The I Was Here project calls forward the ancestral roots that exist within buildings, cities, and ourselves. I am calling your name is a key and repeating phrase in the prayer for the I Was Here project.
In a video created by MadLabs, the Spirit Portraits will be shown on The Podium at One World Trade Center - the main building of the rebuilt World Trade Center complex in Lower Manhattan. The spiritual significance of an I Was Here installation on this site - originally called 'The Freedom Tower' is powerful. The images will rise impactfully 200 feet up from the ground, visible from four strong vantage points like an IMAX theater, except on the street.
Amplifying public space for the Ancestor Spirits to move across the city. To move through centuries. To redefine our understanding of the foundational role enslaved Africans played in the creation of our country.
Upon awakening from a dream, the deliberate diffusion on the Podium serves a purpose. It reflects the gradual process of emerging from a dream, mirroring our slow journey to awareness. Our installation on the Podium signifies an impending attraction, intentionally designed to embody the unfolding of consciousness.
The site's significance and history are multifaceted, adding depth to our presentation. Softly unveiling the portraits represents the most captivating introduction for our project to the vibrant heart of New York City. The diffusion itself encapsulates the narrative.
Spirits gaze out upon the water, surveying the city from the four cardinal directions—this arrangement was meticulously planned. The photograph capturing the clarified image serves as a sneak peek of what's to come.
This is the dreamscape, a visual embodiment of how ideas take shape in the mist, gradually crystallizing into clarity.
Our launch extends an open invitation to the city, property owners, business proprietors, and residents alike, encouraging them to partake in the unveiling of I Was Here.
The installation on the Podium embodies a form of "The Dreamtime." For Australian Aboriginal people, the Dreamtime represents the era when Ancestral Spirits traversed the land, giving rise to life and shaping significant geographical features and landmarks. This concept is rich with intricate layers of meaning. The Dreamtime encompasses four facets: the genesis of all things, the vitality and influence of the ancestors, the cycle of life and death, and the enduring power within life. The Dreamtime transcends time and space, making it a force more potent than both.
The I Was Here debut in New York City has been made possible by
Ilene Shaw, Founder of Design Pavilion and Executive Director of NYCxDesign,
Toni Sykes, Cofounder and CEO CODAworx,
the creative team at MadLabs and Yes, We Are Mad,
Mark Domino of Spireworks,
Kentucky Tourism,
VisitLex, and
CODAworx.
