Olamina: Earthseeds A Space for The Living

Olamina: Earthseeds A Space for The Living

Type: Sculpture

Artist: Quentin VerCetty

DATE: August 2021
LOCATION: Aitken Place Park, Toronto, Canada.
MEDIUM: Polyurethane, wood, steel, plastic topiary

DIMENSIONS: H:1.8m [6’ft] x L: 3m [10’ft] x W: 2.4m [8’ft]

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
Olamina - Earthseeds Space For The Living is an interactive public art piece imagineered, designed, digitally modeled and sculpted by Quentin VerCetty. It is an installation inspired by Afrofuturism literature pioneer Octavia E. Butler’s Parable series. The title is taken from the main character of Butler’s novels, Lauren Oya Olamina, whose name makes symbolic reference to Yoruba culture meaning prosperity. The piece is also an embodiment of the folktales of the African water spirit, Mami Wata. Water spirits in African and Afro-Caribbean folklore often touch on the idea of change and moving forward. Like Mami Wata, Olamina intersects both earth and water. Both represent dualities of elements and forces in life.

Olamina’s placement by the Toronto waterfront calls attention to what it means to be by the water and inspires contemplation about our role in the vastness of land, water, and air. Water is a powerful source for spiritual and physical healing, it can also be a wise teacher. As we celebrate the art and the waterfront, we also encourage conversations about our relationships with water, earth, and community. It was fabricated with the support of Imagine It 3D company based in Mississauga.

The orientation of her facing south towards tat a 45 degree angle and 38.5 degree tilt to face towards the Sirius B star - the ancient star of the Dogon and Nommo beings which is also in the direction of the North star which holds historical importance to the Afro-diasporic communities and many Ontario First Nations.

Funded by: Waterfront BIA, Waterfront Toronto, TAC