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The Ark of Return
The Ark of Return
Manhattan, New York, NY, United States
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The Ark of Return
Manhattan, New York, NY, United States
STATUS
Built
YEAR
2015
SIZE
0 sqft - 1000 sqft
BUDGET
$1M - 5M
The memorial is conceptually organized in three parts. Visitors are meant to pass through “The Ark of Return” to intimately experience three primary elements addressing the past, present and future.
The Maps of the triangular slave trade are very powerful reminders of the trans-Atlantic slave trade’s global scope. The first element is a three dimensional map inscribed on the interior of the memorial. This map highlights the African continent at its center and graphically depicts the global scale, complexity and impact of the triangular slave trade in “acknowledgement of the tragedy.”
The visitors are provided the opportunity to seriously “consider the legacy” of slavery’s impact upon humanity in the second element which was inspired by the drawings of slave ships. These drawings are also powerful historic reminders of the cruel efficiency with which these vessels were designed to function and of the extreme conditions that enslaved Africans endured for many months during the Middle Passage across the Atlantic.
In honor and respect to the lives and memories of those souls that endured that journey, many of whom perished, we have incorporated the second element of a full scale figure lying horizontally within a triangular niche opposite a wall inscribed with images of the interior of a slave ship. This figure represents the spirits of the millions of souls of men, women and children who have perished. The trinity of the spirit of man, woman and child is the inspiration for the figure sculpted by hand by master craftsmen out of African Black Zimbabwe granite.
The figure is meant as a living spirit on a return journey. The outstretched hand of the figure is meant as an opportunity to interact and connect with the Permanent Memorial and the ancestors physically, emotionally and spiritually. That interaction is meant to generate a tear of water gently flowing from the face of the figure and initiate the flow of water to the third and final element.
The third element introduces water as a meditative, ritualistic and spiritual experience. The ritual of libation and use of water in this manner is a historically universal experience shared throughout the world in diverse cultures in Europe, Africa and Asia. Water and pour libations from outstretched arms so does the water which flows from the tear fill a triangular font which extends outward overflowing into and filling two other triangular reflecting pools of water. Visitors are invited to pour libations or say a prayer not only in memory of the millions of souls of enslaved people in the past but also as a reminder of the condition of the victims of modern slavery which still exist today in the present “Lest We Forget” become indifferent to the pain, suffering and struggles of our fellow human beings. The Ark of Return shall serve as constant reminder to future generations not to repeat this tragedy.
The Maps of the triangular slave trade are very powerful reminders of the trans-Atlantic slave trade’s global scope. The first element is a three dimensional map inscribed on the interior of the memorial. This map highlights the African continent at its center and graphically depicts the global scale, complexity and impact of the triangular slave trade in “acknowledgement of the tragedy.”
The visitors are provided the opportunity to seriously “consider the legacy” of slavery’s impact upon humanity in the second element which was inspired by the drawings of slave ships. These drawings are also powerful historic reminders of the cruel efficiency with which these vessels were designed to function and of the extreme conditions that enslaved Africans endured for many months during the Middle Passage across the Atlantic.
In honor and respect to the lives and memories of those souls that endured that journey, many of whom perished, we have incorporated the second element of a full scale figure lying horizontally within a triangular niche opposite a wall inscribed with images of the interior of a slave ship. This figure represents the spirits of the millions of souls of men, women and children who have perished. The trinity of the spirit of man, woman and child is the inspiration for the figure sculpted by hand by master craftsmen out of African Black Zimbabwe granite.
The figure is meant as a living spirit on a return journey. The outstretched hand of the figure is meant as an opportunity to interact and connect with the Permanent Memorial and the ancestors physically, emotionally and spiritually. That interaction is meant to generate a tear of water gently flowing from the face of the figure and initiate the flow of water to the third and final element.
The third element introduces water as a meditative, ritualistic and spiritual experience. The ritual of libation and use of water in this manner is a historically universal experience shared throughout the world in diverse cultures in Europe, Africa and Asia. Water and pour libations from outstretched arms so does the water which flows from the tear fill a triangular font which extends outward overflowing into and filling two other triangular reflecting pools of water. Visitors are invited to pour libations or say a prayer not only in memory of the millions of souls of enslaved people in the past but also as a reminder of the condition of the victims of modern slavery which still exist today in the present “Lest We Forget” become indifferent to the pain, suffering and struggles of our fellow human beings. The Ark of Return shall serve as constant reminder to future generations not to repeat this tragedy.
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