Barrel, 2022

The act of sending clothes, food, objects, and products back to one’s country of origin carries significant cultural value. It serves as a spiritual means of reconnecting with distant loved ones and creates a shared representation of one’s experiences abroad. Artist Abenda Sohn drew inspiration from this practice, seeking to transform the perception of these barrels.

In his work, Sohn uses the contents of the barrel to highlight what his extended family in Liberia cannot access and to express his own sense of longing for home. The items within the barrel symbolize the gaps and absences created by distance. The text on the drum goes beyond merely describing its contents; it underscores the condition of Sohn’s cultural identity and reflects on what has already been lost in the process of displacement. Through this piece, Sohn invites viewers to consider the deeper emotional and cultural impacts of being separated from one’s homeland.