These images are studies for my upcoming Fellowship exhibition at A.I.R., Chaulmoogra Seeds for Dr. Alice Ball, a site-specific installation that tells a story of transcending division through care. It is inspired by the pioneering chemist Dr. Alice Augusta Ball, an African American scientist and educator working in Hawaii who in 1915 developed the first successful treatment for Hansen’s disease, known as leprosy. Dr. Ball treated many Native Hawaiian patients and taught a diverse group of students in territorial Hawaii – a place that continues to struggle against legacies of colonialism, racism, and environmental degradation. I am from Hawaii, and my grandmother grew up on Molokai, the island where patients of Hansen’s disease were forcibly isolated from their families. In Hawaii, leprosy was commonly known as the ‘separating sickness’ or the ‘illness that divides families.’ Dr. Ball’s efforts transcended the stigmatization of leprosy and enabled families to reunite. My exhibition for A.I.R. honors Dr. Ball, her transformative work, and the chaulmoogra–a tree from India and Southeast Asia, the seeds of which produce an oil essential to the treatment of Hansen's disease. This experimental, interdisciplinary project comprises sculptural objects, archival photos, and written text. Although my Fellowship exhibition was originally scheduled to open May 29th, I feel the work will resonate with viewers in stronger, more personal ways when it is finally realized later this year.
Rachelle Dang, studio work-in-progress, 2020. Inkjet print on paper, wax. 8 x 12 inches.
Rachelle Dang, studio work-in-progress, 2020. Inkjet print on paper, wax. 12 x 19 inches.
Rachelle Dang, studio work-in-progress, 2020. Inkjet print on paper, wax. 10 x 6 inches.
Rachelle Dang (b. Honolulu, HI) is an artist based in New York whose work engages with the complexities of colonial legacies.