Each of the three groups that populated Philipse Manor during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries are still present locally and nationally. The term ‘descendant communities’ speaks to those with direct ancestral, racial or cultural ties to the people who lived in the area during the colonial period. In selecting pieces to represent descendant communities, several criteria were considered.
The works presented in the Descendant Communities gallery reinforce the fact that these cultures are still vital and living, not solely confined to the past. For example, depictions of Indigenous people are often confined to a framework rooted in the past, ignoring the strong cultural presence that continues today.
Each of these communities has been impacted by historical events, exploitation, and displacement. For some, there is a strong need to process and deeply consider the effects of this complex history.
The pieces selected have been chosen because they reflect the historic past, but also speak to the present and provide visions for the future. Each artist has provided a statement which we hope will give you more to consider as you experience their work.
