MUTTERERDE – IN SEARCH OF MY MOTHER’S GARDENS

45 min, Germany 2017

Jessica Lauren Elizabeth Taylor’s multi-voice video project follows the matriarchal lineages of five black femmes. Muttererde calls for femme forms of ancestral history in the face of the often interrupted historical knowledge of the African diaspora in Europe and elsewhere. What are rituals, teachings and abilities passed on from our matriarchs? How do these inherited skills serve us or inhibit us today? The conversations with six black femmes on the knowledge and non-knowledge of their mothers, grandmothers, great grandmothers and as far back as the knowledge carries them create a rich and powerful archive.In collaboration with filmmaker Astrid Gleichmann. Featuring the stories of Camalo Gaskin, Tobi Ayedadjou, Niv Acosta, Natalie Anguezomo Mba Bikoro and Fannie Sosa

Supported by the Decentralized Cultural Work Tempelhof-Schöneberg, District Kunst und Kulturforderung Berlin and A Prima Vista Filmproduktion.

Trailer

Jessica Lauren Elizabeth Taylor

Jessica Lauren Elizabeth Taylor (b. 1984, Florida) is an artist, filmmaker and community organizer. Her roots are in the Southern United States, born in Mississippi and bred in Florida. Taylor’s work manifests through performance, text, dialogue, dance and community building for Black People and People of Color.

She has performed at the Barbican Centre of Art (lLondon, UK) Chisenhale Gallery (London, UK) Hebbel Am Ufer (Berlin, Germany) Kunst-Werke Institute for Contemporary Art (Berlin, Germany) Sophiensaele Theater (Berlin, Germany) and The Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art (Oslo, Norway).

Artist website