The Distance

The Distance is an artwork which considers, examines, and  commemorates the complex and contradictory historical narratives of American plights for freedom. The Distance is a performative art-action in which the artist walks the distance from two historic sites in Richmond, Virginia, the city where the artist grew up. The   0.8 mile walk begins at the historic site of St. John's Church where American Revolution patriot, Patrick Henry presented his "Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death" speech in 1775, then continues to another historic site referred to as The Devils Half Acre or Lumpkin's Jail. The Devils Half Acre - Lumpkin's Jail once stood as a site of imprisonment and trade of enslaved individuals during the mid-1800's. Mary Lumpkin, an enslaved woman and widow of Robert Lumpkin, the owner of the jail site, later used the estate to create  a school for African Americans by founding what is now called Virginia Union University, an HBCU,  when she inherited the property following his death. The Devils Half Acre - Lumpkin's Jail is also the site from where Gabriel Prosser, an enslaved person and activist, attempted to lead a revolution for the freedom of enslaved people. Gabriel was later killed near this site for his pursuit to bring equality and liberty to enslaved peoples and for attempting to uphold the Nation to its values of freedom. The artwork results in an object containing two dried wildflowers collected at the midway point between the two sites, which are then suspended between sheets of black and clear glass.