Black Passing Swamped

EXHIBITION STATEMENT

Black Passing Swamped: Societal Signs of White Supremacy & Capitalism is my historical, spiritual, and artistic exploration of No Trespassing signs. Trespassing signs and laws were implemented in the 1800s to enforce private property, rooted in capitalism. I have many questions that have guided my research. At the core are, what does trespassing means when Black people are considered property? What does trespassing mean when indigenous people have their land stolen?
Trespassing is rooted in capitalism that prioritizes profits over people. The laws allow governments to punish (predominantly Black and poor people) financially with fines and systematically with incarceration. Prisons benefit capitalism because while the 13th Amendment legally “ended” slavery, the law permitted slavery as “punishment for a crime”. As a result, trespassing, is one of many laws enacted to disproportionately imprison Black people to continue slavery institutions.
My goal is to increase awareness of how Trespassing signs and other laws/artifacts in society uphold white supremacy. However, I hope to promote communal joy and collaboration through fun, free programming. Art galleries have historically excluded Black communities.
I invite all, but especially Black people, to express themselves fully in this space. Be loud, be quiet, and everything in between. Let’s reimagine how we enjoy art in spaces as we take up space together, using maroon communities as inspiration. Maroons were Black autonomous collectives of free and formerly enslaved Black people across the diaspora. These communities, regardless of location, resisted white supremacy in the name of community and safety.
Black Passing Swamped represents the beginning of my research into Carolina swamps as places of resistance. I reflect and honor physical swamps, by “swamping”, or flooding, the gallery with images and activations. I give thanks to my ancestors, alive and transitioned, for making my art practice possible. 

ARTIST BIO

Esoderic is a griot. He creates stories through photography, sound bending, and events to document his experiences as a Black boy in the “Carolinas”. He is also an aspiring Speech Language Pathologist in graduate school at North Carolina Central University.
Derrick is interested in African diaspora anthropology, with an emphasis on Black Southern united states experiences. His current research interests are community building during the 70s and 80s around soul, funk, and disco music through events such as Soul Train, The Scene, and Shakedown.
He is combining his interests to preserve and uplift past stories through creative community programming to promote intergenerational community building. He began this practice during his first solo exhibition, just bee (March 2024), sharing his work on the intersections of metaphysics, fine art, and inner child healing. In his current solo exhibition, Black Passing Swamped (March 2025), he continues this intention to build community using introspection and art. 

Curated by Derrick Davis

Presented by the Durham Art Guild