Water, Memory and Ritual
Water Ritual Map
Printed copy
8 1/2 in x 11 in
Water Ritual Map
Printed copy
8 1/2 in x 11 in
Mugwort, a handmade book
Mugwort paper, mugwort leaf, pen, thread
4in x 6in
Mugwort Offerings
Mugwort plant woven into fence
Varying dimensions
Mugwort Spirits
Mature mugwort plant, pokeweed
Varying dimensions
Mugwort Spirits
Mature mugwort plant, pokeweed
Varying dimensions
Mugwort Offerings
Mugwort plant woven into fence
Varying dimensions
Water Worship and Mugwort Offering
Ritual, mugwort, Queen Anne's lace, pokeweed
Untitled
Fabric, acrylic medium, and powdered pigments
Varying dimensions
Veneration of the Cardinal Directions
Rubbings using graphite on paper
18 in x 26in
Water, Memory and Ritual is a multi-part meditation on water as a medium for the cyclical forces of death and life. The impetus for this project began with remembering those who have died in bodies of water surrounding New York City and on Pagganuck (Governors Island). Waters bordering the five boroughs hold memories of injustice—starting with the loss of indigenous lives at the arrival of settler colonialists. Contemplating death in water through historical events led to encompassing all lives lost in bodies of water. My work reveals a reverent focus on the sacredness of water and its connection with the cyclical forces of death and life.
While on Pagganuck, I was drawn to Mugwort because of its overabundance and my interest in the medicinal and metaphysical properties of plants. I created Mugwort Spirits as a result of my impulse for making offerings to the water. The energies of Mugwort and water flow together. Mugwort became an important intermediary for connecting with the spirit realm in water. The powerful medicine in this plant regulates menstruation, and in prolonged doses, can cause a miscarriage. The plant is also believed to aid with divination and dreaming, and protect against evil spirits.
Water Ritual is a map I designed based on my exploration of the island. It offers a way for people to reconcile their connection with water, remember it as a living entity, express gratitude for its power and presence, and acknowledge our individual impact on its life-giving force. It invites participants to make an offering to the water and takes them on a journey around the island to placards marking the cardinal directions, one of which gets obstructed by "glamping."
The placards visited during Water Ritual were also used to create rubbings of rearranged text. Found at four different locations on the island, each placard celebrates historical U.S. maritime operations. I selected specific words from the text to gain control over the narrative, revealing other truths. This control allowed me to imagine ways of rectifying injustice through my work. As part of reshaping the narrative, the placards also became sites of pilgrimage for the water ritual map, emphasizing reverence for the cardinal directions, not military force.
For the installation of meandering ropes, made by braiding four long strips of fabric painted and then encrusted with dry pigments, I once again centered the spiritual qualities of water. Thinking of water as a membrane between the spirit realm and the living, I envisioned the placenta, amniotic fluid, and ancestral veneration. In re-creating a spiritual river, I used the memory of my grandfather to make the rope pieces. I also recalled the silent moment when he taught me how to braid the rope.
As part of my ongoing interdisciplinary practice, I am planning a performance of a water ritual that stems from working on Pagganuck. My interest in the cyclical forces of death and life is unwavering. I will continue pushing this body of work forward through its focus on water.
About the Artist
Elizabeth Velazquez creates mixed-media sculptural works, installations and rituals. She is one of the founding members of the Southeast Queens Artists Alliance (SEQAA), a grassroots collective of artists based in Southeast Queens. Velazquez recently received a fellowship from apexart, and a 2020 Winter Workspace residency at Wave Hill. She has exhibited and performed at venues throughout New York, including Cigar Factory, Knockdown Center and York College (CUNY).