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Selah Marley’s “A Primordial Place” at City Point in New York City

Editorial by Angel Love

Selah Marley Transforms a New York Space Into A Natural Oasis

“It’s an indoor jungle! I called it “A Primordial Place” because for me it represents a world prior to human destruction, and at a time when nature and the Earth were allowed to blossom, and so it’s the beginning of time, and I just wanted to exemplify that in my work.Selah Marley, Curator of “A Primordial Place”

Selah Marley held her first sensory art exhibition in New York City, at BKLYN Studios, City Point, in New York City, on May 3 and May 4, 2019. The art installation entitled, “A Primordial Place,” represents a world untouched by man and industrial changes.

“A Primordial Place” consisted of a mystical, lush garden of flowers and ferns. The beauty of this botanical exhibition was in the details of flower-filled tunnels, grassy terrains, a majestic Tee Pee, and pendulous flowers, ferns and trees.

Marley curated the setting for the exhibition by varying the temperature (5 Climate Temperature settings were used) and lighting (bright lights, red lights, purple light, fluorescent and black light effects). Dancers arrayed in Zulu- inspired costumes, in all white to represent purity, performed with flowing choreography. Marley carefully added layers to the cultivation of this art experience, by handcrafting each costume and creating story telling choreography. The exhibit itself attracted lovers of nature, art, music, fashion and cosplay. One painter brought her own acrylic painting to show Selah Marley. Model Josephine Yvonne Ventress, dressed as a mermaid on the final day of the exhibit, after visiting a few days prior:

“I was like, do you want a Mermaid to be at your event? She was like “Yeah sure, are you the Mermaid?” I said “Yeah!” She sent me the link to RSVP, I came on Thursday, and my jaw literally dropped. It was mystical, beautiful, just magical and a completely different world. Therefore, I wanted to bring an experience as well because she was giving so much to people. I wanted to be a supporting factor for all of Selah Marley’s effort. “A Primordial Place” was a wonderland, a mysterious world that encouraged me to wear the mermaid costume I curated in 2016. In terms of the costume design, my mother hand stitched my tail for a custom fit. I put so much energy into making my mermaid expression. I always have to have a mystical kind of wig, I usually would wear contacts- but not this time. I used an actual fishing net and seashells for the bra. I used a special sheer looking fabric to hand-design the individual scales for a 3-dimensional effect or lifting of each individual scale. Additional accents included tons of glitter, extravagant and elongated, turquoise eyelashes and my bubbly and effervescent personality, to pull off this look.” – Model and Designer, Josephine Yvonne Ventress

On the final night of the exhibition, Selah Marley celebrated the success of “A Primordial Place” with her many fans, supporters, family and friends, with an after party. Rohan Marley, son of Bob Marley and owner of House of Marley Brand, beamed proudly amongst the crowd with his sons, Joshua “YG” Marley and Nico Marley.

Selah’s mother, Lauryn Hill, Maternal Grandmother, Model Slick Woods, and Eden Marley, Founder of The Garden of Eden Foundation, were present at the exhibition’s opening. Selah Marley cultivated an extraordinary cultural experience in New York City, like no other.

Written by Angel Love

Culmination of Photographs taken by Angel Love and Najee Pack

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