In November 2024, artist Ya La’Ford returned to her ancestral roots in West Africa as one of seven distinguished artists invited to exhibit at the U.S. Pavilion for the Dakar Biennale. This year’s theme, The Wake, resonated deeply with La’Ford’s artistic journey, intertwining her exploration of the African Diaspora, personal memory, and collective history. Her participation marked a pivotal moment in her career, reflecting a broader dialogue on identity, migration, and heritage.
La’Ford’s featured work, Water Frontier 14.4974° N 14.4524° W, captured the essence of the theme with its layered visual narrative. Inspired by oceanic patterns and land contours, the piece drew upon the symbolism of water as both a divider and connector of lands and peoples. The work embodied La’Ford’s signature geometric abstraction, employing intricate lines and textures that echo the waves of the Atlantic—a body of water that has borne both trauma and transcendence for the African Diaspora.
“Water is sacred,” La’Ford explained during her artist talk with U.S. Embassy Counselor of Public Affairs Ruthann Stevens-Klitz at the Biennale. “It carries stories, memories, and history. For those of us connected to the Diaspora, it is a reminder of both our loss and our resilience. The Wake is about confronting those truths while charting a course forward as an example to the world.”
Christina Sharpe’s concept of “wake work” provided a profound backdrop for the exhibition. Sharpe describes the wake as the waves left behind a ship’s movement through water, symbolizing both the physical and metaphorical aftermath of trauma. “Wake work,” she writes, encompasses the many ways people mourn, resist, and create for healing and change, even amid ongoing struggles with anti-Black racism, oppression, and dislocation (Sharpe, 2016).
The Wake exhibition honored ancestors while celebrating those fighting today. It highlighted the richness of culture on both sides of the Atlantic and envisioned a future shaped by resilience, spirituality, and environmental awareness in the face of climate change. The seven participating artists, including La’Ford, challenged stereotypes of powerlessness, celebrating the strength and independence of African and diasporic communities across generations.
For La’Ford, the opportunity to contribute to this dialogue on West African soil carried profound personal significance. Her journey to Dakar became a homecoming, where the tides of history and heritage converged with her artistic practice. The U.S. Pavilion at the Biennale—set within Senegal’s vibrant cultural landscape and located on the second floor of the Museum of Black Civilizations—provided a platform for La’Ford to engage with audiences from across the globe. Her work sparked conversations on the transformative power of art to bridge divides, whether geographic, cultural, or historical.
President Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s visit to the exhibition offered further validation of its importance. During their exchange, he encouraged La’Ford to visit Gorée Island—a mere 20-minute ferry ride from Dakar. Once a departure point for enslaved Africans sent across the Atlantic, Gorée Island remains a site of profound historical weight. La’Ford’s visit was emotional and deepened her understanding of the narratives she sought to evoke, blending past trauma with the hope for healing and unity.
The Biennale’s rich program included panel discussions, workshops, and performances, with Ya La’Ford emerging as a voice in the discourse. She collaborated with local artisans, exchanged ideas with fellow artists, and connected with students during her travels to Thies, Toubacouta, Fathala, Fatick, Djilor, Sessene, M’Bour, and even The Gambia. A walk with wild lions in Fathala further deepened her connection to the rhythms and textures of the region. These interactions informed her work and reinforced the importance of global artistic exchange.
La’Ford’s participation in The Wake not only reaffirmed her stature as an artist of international acclaim but also illuminated the enduring ties between art and identity. Through her intricate, deeply geometric works, she invites viewers to reflect on their place within the vast currents of history. Her return to West Africa—a journey steeped in both personal and collective meaning—reminds us of art’s power to navigate the wake of the past and guide us toward a more connected future.