(Un)Known Project Trail Art Unveilings and New Events in Louisville
LOUISVILLE, KY, May 11, 2022 – In 2021 IDEAS xLab launched the (Un)Known Project, an effort created to honor the names and telling the stories of Black men, women and children that were enslaved and hidden figures in Louisville, KY. What began with a public art installation on the banks of the Ohio has grown into a dynamic series of events and installations that use the power of art and storytelling to bring these untold names and stories to light.
Saturday, May 14 at 11am-noon (Un)Known Project will host its inaugural Public Art Presentation at the On the Banks of Freedom public art installation located between 9th and 10th St. This monthly series will give participants an overview of the work including historical facts about enslavement in Kentucky, and an opportunity to stand in the footprints on the platform while looking across the Ohio River, the dividing line between enslavement and freedom. The Public Art Presentation for May will be given by Hannah Drake, IDEAS xLab Chief Creative Officer and (Un)Known Project co-lead artist.
"When we started the (Un)Known Project we were on a journey that started standing in The Door of No Return in Dakar, Senegal which led us to Natchez, Mississippi, to Forks of the Road. Our journey traced the route back to Louisville, Kentucky, standing on the banks of the Ohio River as we learned about the devastating impact enslavement had on our state,” said Drake. “Through storytelling, participants will learn about enslavement in Kentucky, the hidden places that tell the stories of so many that have long been labeled as unknown. They are unknown no longer.”
On June 9, 2022, at 7pm the Journeys to Freedom: (Un)Known Project River Cruise will make its debut on the Belle of Louisville. While floating along the Ohio River between Kentucky — a slave state — and Indiana — a free state — participants will be immersed in the stories of two families seeking to escape enslavement by boat. As each guest boards the Belle for the river cruise, they will receive a color-coded passport and be assigned a persona for the event. The passport will give different passengers access to various spaces throughout the boat as the performance progresses.
“We’re committed to providing programming that allows passengers to explore history and cultural heritage in a way that represents diverse stories and honest experiences,” said Belle of Louisville Riverboats CEO Krista Snider. “For that reason, we’re so honored to partner with the (Un)Known Project on the ‘Journeys to Freedom’ cruises. These on-the-water experiences are going to be particularly powerful, given the geographic and symbolic role the Ohio River played to enslaved people.”
The immersive river cruise was commissioned by IDEAS xLab and written and directed by artist Sidney Monroe Williams (they/them). Journeys to Freedom will run June 9, 10, 22, and 23. Tickets are $45 for adults & seniors; $150 for VIP (includes early boarding and cocktails with the project leaders in the Captain’s Quarters before the event). Registration is available at this link.
“Reconciliation has become something we really centered on in creating Journeys to Freedom,” said Williams. “Through this immersive experience, I hope that reconciliation is achieved through multiplicity, pluralistic perspectives, and engaging in the history of enslavement that implicates all of us. We're all still very much engaged with it. For some of us, in very real ways. We’re inviting people into this history and these stories to play, to learn, to choose your own adventure.”
Photo of Louisville-based artist X. Moyo working on the art installation commissioned for Roots 101. Photo by Shachaf Polakow.
On Thursday, June 16, Roots 101 African American Museum will unveil a commissioned mixed-media art installation by X. Moyo, a Louisville artist, as part of (Un)Known Project. The opening from 6-8pm at Roots 101 is free and open to the public.
“The power of the Journey of the Unknown art installation is an emotional journey of enslaved people in Kentucky and the ultimate journey of going down river or the journey to freedom across the river,” said Lamont Collins, founder of Roots 101. “The art installation operates at the crossroads of freedom, slavery and death.”
There will be another opportunity to participate in celebrating "On the Banks of Freedom" Juneteenth weekend. On June 19, 2022 from 1-2pm, IDEAS xLab and partners will host a drumming circle and libation ceremony at the site to celebrate the 1-year anniversary of the unveiling of the public art installation created with artists William M. Duffy and Dave Caudill. This celebration is free and open to the public. Following the event, attendees will be able to visit the Frazier Museum’s The Commonwealth: Divided We Fall exhibit featuring a commissioned work by Ché Rhodes as part of (Un)Known Project. Free tickets will be available for the first 50 people who request them at the Juneteenth event.
"Since the dedication and unveiling of ‘On the Banks of Freedom’ on Juneteenth 2021, the (Un)Known Project public art installation has hosted over 1,300 people including community-planned celebrations,” shared Josh Miller, co-founder and CEO of IDEAS xLab and co-lead artist of (Un)Known Project. “This year’s event is inspired by our travels to Senegal, West Africa with Bridge Kids International in 2016, and the desire to integrate various forms of art into shaping our experience with the site, how we relate to Kentucky’s history of enslavement, and to create a sense of belonging with each other.”
For more information visit unknownprojecttrail.com or email unknownproject@ideasxlab.com.
Media approved images available upon request.
About (Un)Known Project
(Un)Known Project creates artistic spaces and experiences to support learning, healing, reflection, reconciliation, and action by honoring the names and telling the stories of Black men, women and children that were enslaved and hidden figures in Louisville, KY and the surrounding region. The Project is led by artists Hannah Drake and Josh Miller of IDEAS xLab. Partners include Roots 101 African American Museum, Frazier History Museum and Louisville Metro Government. Current support for (Un)Known Project includes grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Mellon Foundation, the Ford Foundation, Humana Foundation, Foundation for a Just Society, Elhapa Foundation, Brown-Forman, Republic Bank, LG&E-KU and individual donors.
About IDEAS xLab
IDEAS xLab is a dynamic artist-led nonprofit based in Louisville, KY - and working nationally that proactively seeks to unearth and honor community stories that transform people, spaces and cultures. The organization leads collaborative efforts including (Un)Known Project, has an ongoing partnership with Louisville Metro Department of Public Health & Wellness focused on creating a Lead Free Louisville, and offers IDEA workshops and keynotes focused on Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility.