Tsedaye Makonnen's ASTRAL SEA Speaks To The Need for Collective Refuge

Oyiza Adaba, New York

Contemporary Ethiopian/American Artist Tsedaye Makonnen was commissioned by MetLiveArts and featured as one of the two living artists in the Africa and Byzantium exhibition. The result is ASTRAL SEA, which speaks to themes of Slavery, Textiles and History

Contemporary Artist Tsedaye Makonnen, currently featured as one of the two living artists in the Africa and Byzantium exhibition, has been commissioned by MetLiveArts and supported by Franklin Furnace to produce a new iteration from her performance and textile series Astral Sea to be featured at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The exhibition explores the cultural interconnections between the African continent and Byzantium from the 4th to the 15th century. The Met has commissioned 7 new works from Tsedaye alongside this new performance piece.

Performers Jasmine Hearn and Adia will be adorned by Astral Sea mirrored textiles created by the artist Tsedaye moving through the exhibit and Petrie Court. Their abstracted gestures will emulate water, land and the cosmos becoming a conduit of those who the work honors.

The performance will highlight themes of healing, protection, hope, resilience, and the power of collective action, drawing connections between the rich histories of Africa and the African diaspora. It will be accompanied by a special live soundscape created by world renowned Sudanese musician Alsarah from Alsarah and the Nubatones.