JUNE 2021
Location: Sankofa Orchard
309 Covington Rd, Richmond, VA 23225

Photographer: Katrina Taggart-Hecksher

Our first piece was all about the concept of Sankofa. The word Sankofa comes from the Akan people of Ghana. It is an Akan term that literally means, “to go back and get it.” For our mural on the container we created a three dimensional piece that takes you from sunrise to sunset or from sunset to sunrise. Allowing the viewer to physically walk back and pull forward from their past while viewing the piece. 

Our second piece was inspired by and dedicated to John Lewis. John Lewis was a pioneer in Urban Farming and helped lay some of the groundwork for the Sankofa Community Orchard before his passing. John gave a Ted talk and in it he talked about motivation for the purpose of identifying purpose. 

This inspired Us to creat. They wanted to bring that same attention to intention and purpose. It began by including volunteers and the community infusing the wall with positivity by writing those words of reflection, intention and purpose on the wall. They added the Adrinka Symbols of Sankofa and then lifted the imagery to an ethereal spiritual jungle that captured the energy, the bonding of community and peace of the space. 

It is our hope that both these works bring awareness to Sankofa Orchard a place where 80 different fruit trees will bear fruit a year from now. Where we have already witnessed kids playing while butterflies flew over their heads and lessons on bee keeping. Community Gardens like this provide not just a place where healthy food can be grown and dispersed to those that may not have access but it can also create a space for building a greater feeling of community, a safe space for reflection and respite from the outside world. 

Richmond needs more places like Sankofa!