Esiri Erheriene-Essi, The Surprise, 2023

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oil, ink, and xerox transfer on linen

200 x 200 cm
78 3/4 x 78 3/4 in

The Surprise (2023) Family members gather in a church hall, watching as a woman, perhaps a mother, aunt, or sister, unwraps a birthday present. They stand beside a table overflowing...

The Surprise (2023)
Family members gather in a church hall, watching as a woman, perhaps a mother,
aunt, or sister, unwraps a birthday present. They stand beside a table overflowing with gifts, food, and cake. The birthday woman is only seen in profile, leaving the viewer to interpret her reaction through the faces of those around her.
The source image for this work came without a date or identifying details, but it instantly reminded me of the grand birthday celebrations my parents, and the parents of friends, hosted. These were lively events held in rented halls, filled with
family and extended members of the diaspora, brought together by food, music, and joy.
Seeing this woman celebrated by her loved ones transported me back to those long- forgotten memories, of community, belonging, and the powerful bonds of chosen family.

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Esiri Erheriene-Essi United Kingdom, b. 1982