The blown-glass bottle sculpture Under the Influence I is designed as a reminder of the importance of rum in the slave trade. The bottle cap is made out of rope, instead of a cork stopper, to evoke the sensation of being bound. The trails of blue glass wrapped around the bottle lend them an exquisite richness, which also suggests the Atlantic Ocean. The "copper cage" enclosing the glass represents the power that traders possessed to restrict the movement, both physically and mentally, of the humans under their control.
Courtesy of Vessel Gallery
● Type: Sculpture
● Dimensions: 46 H x 25 W x 25 D cm
● Material: Glass, copper, rope
● Date: 2021