The Enslaved Drummer Boy at LUNA FÊTE X 2023

The Enslaved Drummer Boy by Marcus Brown (New Orleans) 2023

Location: New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center

The Enslaved Drummer Boy is an interactive musical figurative light sculpture that shines a light on the musical lineages of enslaved people in Algiers Point. The sculpture depicts a young enslaved African boy in translucent glass-like material standing tall on a Djembe style drum. The lower section is touch interactive, allowing the user to trigger sounds and light. The artwork provides an interactive way to educate the public on the history of the first Africans in Louisiana. Algiers Point during the 1720s was the musical and cultural gathering location for enslaved Africans from Algiers and New Orleans before the time of Congo Square in the 1800s. Indigenous people from the area encouraged the enslaved Africans to use the location as a gathering place as they did. The enslaved Africans who lived in Algiers Point created cultural and musical traditions that are echoed in our contemporary culture today. This sculpture will be incorporated into the national series titled Slavery Trails.  Slavery Trails is a musically interactive site-specific augmented reality (AR) installation series based on slave ships and enslaved people, placed on historical sites throughout the United States. Slavery Trailsis a decentralized memorial to slavery in the United States.

This sculpture is part of the City of New Orleans’ Percent for Art Collection and will be permanently installed in 2024 in Algiers.

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