When you think of the colour black, what do you think of?
Darkness? Does it scare you? Death? The foreshadowing of something bad? Lack of control?
The redefinition of black is a shoot to celebrate the colour black, and redefine the connotations usually made with the colour.
Whether through poetry or news stories, blackness was continuously micro aggressed whilst whiteness was used a symbol of hope, power and enlightenment
I want to redefine the connotations of what black means, rewire the mind as I believe the symbolism of black usually being negative runs deeper than the surface.
This idea stemmed from seeing the difference between UK and Ghanian death & funeral culture; although both wear black, Ghanaian views of death celebrate the life onced lived, focussing on the life of the deceased and the legacy they leave whereas British funerals focus more on mourning the loss of the loved one who is no longer with us. Ghana funerals bring many people together in a party like manner where people can laugh and celebrate the impact of their presence walking through life, sharing memories, perceptions & experiences to keep all aspects of the deceased personality alive.
This was just such a beautiful message to me, showing how easy it is to redefine something people view so negatively and fear, as something to be grateful for.