the peo-ple cried mer-cy in the storm
The peo-ple cried mer-cy in the storm comprises a towering stack of tambourines on an island in one of Storm King’s ponds. The installation was inspired by 'Florida Storm,' a 1928 hymn written by Judge Jackson about the Great Miami Hurricane of 1926, as well as accounts of the 1928 Okeechobee Hurricane, referenced in Zora Neale Hurston’s novel Their Eyes Were Watching God. Both storms devastated the state of Florida, the latter killing thousands of black migrant workers who were buried in unmarked mass graves. The work contemplates how climate-related disasters can expose existing social inequities and how affected communities contend with this twofold devastation. A performance will activate the installation at Storm King, involving musicians presenting a soundscape arranged by Hamilton and inspired by the original 'Florida Storm.'
Painted tambourines and steel armature
18 ft. x 36 in. x 36 in. (548.6 x 91.4 x 91.4 cm)
The peo-ple cried mer-cy in the storm was on view at Storm King Art Center from May 19 - November 11, 2018.
Exhibition link: https://indicators.stormking.org/allison-janae-hamilton/.