Elsa Robinson | Sankofa
June 18–September 25, 2021
Possibilites, 2020
Latitude 53 exhibitions may be visited by appointment only on weekdays and drop-in on Saturdays.
A bird, its head turned backwards, carrying a precious egg in its mouth. In order to move forward, we always look backwards. “Sankofa”, from the Akan Twi and Fante languages of Ghana, means to go back and get something.
Elsa Robinson’s Sankofa explores the theme of spirituality through the artist’s experiences and research. Robinson’s three installations reflect past and present though a combination of natural fibres and artificial materials, working in the tradition of Feminist art, and techniques handed down from her mother: sewing, crochet, and embroidery.
Spirit is One. Making art that speaks from Spirit moves us beyond the illusionary ‘barriers’ of division and touches all our hearts.
-Elsa
Detail of Possibilities, 2020
With a spirit of improvisation, Elsa Robinson places herself in dialogue with sources of liberation in traditional Jamaican and African spirituality, the traditions of women in her culture, and the joyful liberatory traditions of the African Diaspora.
Robinson fuses history and fantasy through material exploration, calling on the aesthetics of Afrofuturism to connect the Black diaspora to an African ancestry often forgotten while evoking possible futures. Robinson’s engagement with Feminist art and Afrosurrealism emphasizes a sense of joy and her connection to the women of her family. She brings to life an unseen history, putting Black culture and figures at the forefront, liberating and expanding an understanding of who they are. Robinson calls forth Black women’s spiritual connection to the earth, motherhood, sisterhood and divine femininity in paint, sequins, and fibre; sculptural figures serve as guides to her spaces.
Elsa Robinson is a Jamaican-Canadian multi-media artist and teacher. Her decades-long devotion to artistic practice has imbued her work with vibrancy, versatility and an intuitive spiritual poignancy through which she is able to transmit her deep love and care for humanity. Ms. Robinson first worked as a self-taught artist, and today she holds the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Art and Design from the University of Alberta and the degree of Master of Fine Arts from the Vermont College of Fine Arts.
Ms. Robinson’s teaching career began in Jamaica where she specialized in Special Education for the Deaf. After arriving in Edmonton, she completed the Bachelor of Education degree and has taught both adults and youth in English, ESL and French Immersion programs here in Edmonton. She is also a passionate arts educator who facilitates workshops for artists of all ages and experience levels.
This project was supported by the Edmonton Arts Council Cultural Diversity in the Arts Grant.
