Pearl of Antillas
Pearl of Antilles is a digital illustration that merges the figures of a Taino woman and a West African woman into a singular being named Moma Ayti, symbolizing the birth of Afro-Latinos in the Dominican Republic. Her left side represents her Indigenous Taino heritage, while her right side embodies her West African ancestry. In front of her womb, she holds a floating pearl, a symbol of resilience, identity, and the merging of cultures.
This piece extends beyond the static image. Through Augmented Reality, Pearl of Antilles transforms, revealing all three women separately the Taino, the West African, and Moma Ayiti as well as the evolving landscape and the looming colonial ships. Viewers can experience this expanded artwork by scanning a QR code with their own mobile device. To fully engage with Augmented Reality, viewers should position themselves about a foot and a half from the digital print. This interactive element emphasizes the layers of history, identity, and survival embedded in the Caribbean experience.
AR Sample
Behind her, the pre-colonial Caribbean landscape flourishes lush, untamed, and rich with life. In stark contrast, two Spanish colonial ships approach from the horizon, marking the moment of first contact and the beginning of an era that would forever reshape the identities of the people of the Caribbean.
By reimagining this origin story through art and technology, Pearl of Antilles challenges viewers to reflect on the past while embracing the complexity of Afro-Latino heritage today.