Self-Portrait, Detroit 2024
THEME: STILL WE RISE
Ackeem Salmon
ACKEEM SALMON
Self-Portrait, Detroit 2024
THEME: STILL WE RISE
the artist's inspiration
Originally from Kingston, Jamaica, 2024 marks a full decade for me living, working, and discovering myself in Detroit. As I thought about the theme of "Still We Rise," I reflected on what I have witnessed and experienced of Detroit’s incredible community over these ten years.
This is what you see in Self-Portrait, Detroit 2024. It is an image filled with 40 extraordinary people—friends, mentors, artists, designers, musicians, children, thinkers, doers, and innovators.
On one level, it is a self-portrait. These are all people who I am close to—people I cherish and respect. As I considered what has enabled me to rise to a place where I can fully be myself, I thought of the richness of soul that the solidarity and love of these people have given me.
Ackeem's "If I Could Tell You Just One Thing..."
Seek out the people who will nurture you. Their lived experience and wisdom stretch your understanding beyond the boundaries of what you can now imagine, creating the possibility for you to nurture others in turn. What teachers, mentors, friends, family, and community pour into you can ripple out to everyone you meet.
CAPITOL PARK, detroit
june 2024
The portrait centers incredible Black women who have created a safe space for me to flourish and live authentically. I remember my first artist showcase, when a mentor pictured here came up to me and said, “I’ve got you—I’m like a mom to you now,” which meant the world to me. The portrait also speaks to its impact on me. Growing up in Jamaica, there was a culture of toxic hyper-masculinity. Any form of softness or femininity was seen as weak and frowned upon in consideration for abuse both physically and verbally. What I learned from this community was the possibility and potential of duality, of softness, and of embracing a much more complex and interesting understanding of masculinity. It has enabled me to show up and bring my whole self to my work and to my community. On another level, it is a self-portrait of Detroit in 2024. Each of these people has contributed immensely to the community, culture, and landscape of Detroit—artists, educators, and mentors. Sometimes, in the narratives of Detroit, we miss the people behind the city. Here is an intergenerational portrait of those who have lived and created that history, and those who are creating its future now—people of all ages and in all their different capacities. (Meet the people featured in the portrait, starting from the left of the artwork, i.e character holding a basket with mangos and dragon fruit to the right.) It is how we rise, individually and together, through the solidarity that we share. I see faces of strength, beauty, pride and peace, made possible by the unity of the collective. There were people in here who have long histories together that I didn’t even know about that emerged in this portrait. You can feel those bonds in Detroit and they are bonds of memory and hope.
the artist's inspiration
Originally from Kingston, Jamaica, 2024 marks a full decade for me living, working, and discovering myself in Detroit. As I thought about the theme of "Still We Rise," I reflected on what I have witnessed and experienced of Detroit’s incredible community over these ten years.
This is what you see in Self-Portrait, Detroit 2024. It is an image filled with 40 extraordinary people—friends, mentors, artists, designers, musicians, children, thinkers, doers, and innovators.
On one level, it is a self-portrait. These are all people who I am close to—people I cherish and respect. As I considered what has enabled me to rise to a place where I can fully be myself, I thought of the richness of soul that the solidarity and love of these people have given me.
ACKEEM SALMON
Ackeem is originally from Kingston, Jamaica, and now resides in Detroit, MI. He is a multimedia artist who explores photography with traditional painting and drawing techniques. Ackeem received his BFA from the College for Creative Studies with honors in Photography and Fine Art.
His pieces are often autobiographical and are based on postcolonial theories and the understanding of human individuality and social progress. He in depth explores how cultural history affects people's present-day identities, and how these identities connect through human commonality and empathy.
Along with his visual works, Ackeem is also a harpist and violinist who primarily works interdisciplinary with his fine art, photography, film, performance, music, and writings of critical theory: The ephemerality of theatre and performance and the permanence of art and design.
Ackeem has exhibited his work internationally, from the Galerie Joseph in Paris, France to the Val de Vie estate in Cape Town and many places inbetween.
Ackeem is a 2023 awardee in Interdisciplinary Work from the Kresge Foundation and is a former art teacher and a 2021-2023 Teach for America Fellow within Detroit Public Schools.
explore the theme
The portrait centers incredible Black women who have created a safe space for me to flourish and live authentically. I remember my first artist showcase, when a mentor pictured here came up to me and said, “I’ve got you—I’m like a mom to you now,” which meant the world to me.
The portrait also speaks to its impact on me. Growing up in Jamaica, there was a culture of toxic hyper-masculinity. Any form of softness or femininity was seen as weak and frowned upon in consideration for abuse both physically and verbally. What I learned from this community was the possibility and potential of duality, of softness, and of embracing a much more complex and interesting understanding of masculinity. It has enabled me to show up and bring my whole self to my work and to my community.
On another level, it is a self-portrait of Detroit in 2024. Each of these people has contributed immensely to the community, culture, and landscape of Detroit—artists, educators, and mentors. Sometimes, in the narratives of Detroit, we miss the people behind the city. Here is an intergenerational portrait of those who have lived and created that history, and those who are creating its future now—people of all ages and in all their different capacities. (Meet the people featured in the portrait, starting from the left of the artwork, i.e character holding a basket with mangos and dragon fruit to the right.)
It is how we rise, individually and together, through the solidarity that we share. I see faces of strength, beauty, pride and peace, made possible by the unity of the collective. There were people in here who have long histories together that I didn’t even know about that emerged in this portrait. You can feel those bonds in Detroit and they are bonds of memory and hope.
explore the theme
Let's make our shared ideals a reality. For everyone.
Ackeem Salmon
Ackeem is originally from Kingston, Jamaica, and now resides in Detroit, MI. He is a multimedia artist who explores photography with traditional painting and drawing techniques. Ackeem received his BFA from the College for Creative Studies with honors in Photography and Fine Art.
His pieces are often autobiographical and are based on postcolonial theories and the understanding of human individuality and social progress. He in depth explores how cultural history affects people's present-day identities, and how these identities connect through human commonality and empathy.
Along with his visual works, Ackeem is also a harpist and violinist who primarily works interdisciplinary with his fine art, photography, film, performance, music, and writings of critical theory: The ephemerality of theatre and performance and the permanence of art and design.
Ackeem has exhibited his work internationally, from the Galerie Joseph in Paris, France to the Val de Vie estate in Cape Town and many places inbetween.
Ackeem is a 2023 awardee in Interdisciplinary Work from the Kresge Foundation and is a former art teacher and a 2021-2023 Teach for America Fellow within Detroit Public Schools.
Let's make our shared ideals a reality. For everyone.
CREDITS
Art Director / Photographer / Painter / Set Designer / Artist
Ackeem Salmon
Production Coordinator - Jalyn Baity
Assistant Production Coordinator - Sara Ketchum
Cinematographer - Thomas Pawlowski
Gaffer - Wes Amica
Grip - Khary Mason
DIT - Mark Rutherford
Styling Assistant - Cathy iCare
Props/Accessories - Nneka Jackson
Florists - Laina Martin & Kyra Fuller
Photo PA - Raymar
Set PA / Art PA - Tyler Russell
Set PAs - Caria Taylor & Cara Marie Young
For everyone. For you. By all of us. Join us.
For everyone. For you.
By all of us. Join us.
PURPOSE
in our relationship with ourselves.
WORTHINESS
I am worthy of love dignity and respect.
AWARENESS
I know how I see the world and where it comes from.
BELIEF
I believe I have something valuable to offer.
PURPOSE
I know what inspires me and what I want to do.
Let's make our shared ideals a reality. For everyone.
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The Kora and the Harp: I am a harpist, and the harp is an instrument whose history is often misunderstood and assumed to be of European origin. However, harps, lyres, bows, and other harp-like instruments have existed across Africa for thousands of years. For example, the kora from West Africa is a beautiful instrument historically used to tell stories across generations, capable of transporting listeners through space and time.
The presence of both the kora and the harp speaks to our need to reclaim the full richness and complexity of our history alongside the modern pedal harp we know today. Understanding this shared heritage allows us to appreciate the diverse cultural contributions to music and recognize the deep, interconnected roots that shape our musical and cultural landscape.
-
The Checkered Bodysuit: Within this work, as in many others, the checkered bodysuit symbolizes my presence within the narrative. It represents the multifaceted layers of my identity, intertwining elements of femininity and softness, which starkly contrast with the expectations I encountered growing up in Jamaica.
The checkered bodysuit serves as a visual metaphor for how I navigate and reconcile these diverse aspects of myself. The pattern reflects the complexity and variety within my identity, with each square representing a different experience, trait, or influence that has shaped who I am. The association with femininity and softness challenges the traditional and often rigid expectations of gender and behavior prevalent in my upbringing.
In the Afro-Cuban group called the Abakuà, femininity is forbidden to the extent of death — a narrative similar to homophobia in the Caribbean at large. In Jamaica, there is a strong cultural emphasis on specific roles and attributes, especially concerning gender norms. By incorporating the checkered bodysuit into my work, I assert my individuality and the fluidity of my identity against these ingrained societal expectations.
This juxtaposition highlights the ongoing process of self-discovery and acceptance as I embrace all parts of myself, regardless of external pressures or cultural constraints.
-
I hope Self-Portrait, Detroit 2024 sparks curiosity for you to discover more about these extraordinary people and that it serves as an invitation to consider - who would feature in your self-portrait and in that of your community? Who is it that makes it possible for us to rise, together?
Ackeem’s “If I could tell you just one thing…”
Seek out the people who will nurture you. Their lived experience and wisdom stretch your understanding beyond the boundaries of what you can now imagine, creating the possibility for you to nurture others in turn. What teachers, mentors, friends, family, and community pour into you can ripple out to everyone you meet.
Let's make our shared ideals a reality. For everyone.
The portrait centers incredible Black women who have created a safe space for me to flourish and live authentically. I remember my first artist showcase, when a mentor pictured here came up to me and said, “I’ve got you—I’m like a mom to you now,” which meant the world to me.
The portrait also speaks to its impact on me. Growing up in Jamaica, there was a culture of toxic hyper-masculinity. Any form of softness or femininity was seen as weak and frowned upon in consideration for abuse both physically and verbally. What I learned from this community was the possibility and potential of duality, of softness, and of embracing a much more complex and interesting understanding of masculinity. It has enabled me to show up and bring my whole self to my work and to my community.
On another level, it is a self-portrait of Detroit in 2024. Each of these people has contributed immensely to the community, culture, and landscape of Detroit—artists, educators, and mentors. Sometimes, in the narratives of Detroit, we miss the people behind the city. Here is an intergenerational portrait of those who have lived and created that history, and those who are creating its future now—people of all ages and in all their different capacities.
It is how we rise, individually and together, through the solidarity that we share. I see faces of strength, beauty, pride and peace, made possible by the unity of the collective. There were people in here who have long histories together that I didn’t even know about that emerged in this portrait. You can feel those bonds in Detroit and they are bonds of memory and hope.
Some of the things to discover in the portrait:
-
The Sun and the Moon: Hidden slightly towards the top, people sit under and respond to the sun and moon in the sky. This represents the beginning and the end, the cyclical nature of life and time. It signifies where life begins, where batons are passed, and where eras transition. It conveys that at this moment in time, this is a self-portrait of an ever-evolving Detroit, where the sun will rise again tomorrow.
Some of the things to discover in the portrait:
-
The Sun and the Moon: Hidden slightly towards the top, people sit under and respond to the sun and moon in the sky. This represents the beginning and the end, the cyclical nature of life and time. It signifies where life begins, where batons are passed, and where eras transition. It conveys that at this moment in time, this is a self-portrait of an ever-evolving Detroit, where the sun will rise again tomorrow.
-
The Kora and the Harp: I am a harpist, and the harp is an instrument whose history is often misunderstood and assumed to be of European origin. However, harps, lyres, bows, and other harp-like instruments have existed across Africa for thousands of years. For example, the kora from West Africa is a beautiful instrument historically used to tell stories across generations, capable of transporting listeners through space and time.
The presence of both the kora and the harp speaks to our need to reclaim the full richness and complexity of our history alongside the modern pedal harp we know today. Understanding this shared heritage allows us to appreciate the diverse cultural contributions to music and recognize the deep, interconnected roots that shape our musical and cultural landscape.
-
The Checkered Bodysuit: Within this work, as in many others, the checkered bodysuit symbolizes my presence within the narrative. It represents the multifaceted layers of my identity, intertwining elements of femininity and softness, which starkly contrast with the expectations I encountered growing up in Jamaica.
The checkered bodysuit serves as a visual metaphor for how I navigate and reconcile these diverse aspects of myself. The pattern reflects the complexity and variety within my identity, with each square representing a different experience, trait, or influence that has shaped who I am. The association with femininity and softness challenges the traditional and often rigid expectations of gender and behavior prevalent in my upbringing.
In the Afro-Cuban group called the Abakuà, femininity is forbidden to the extent of death — a narrative similar to homophobia in the Caribbean at large. In Jamaica, there is a strong cultural emphasis on specific roles and attributes, especially concerning gender norms. By incorporating the checkered bodysuit into my work, I assert my individuality and the fluidity of my identity against these ingrained societal expectations.
This juxtaposition highlights the ongoing process of self-discovery and acceptance as I embrace all parts of myself, regardless of external pressures or cultural constraints.
-
I hope Self-Portrait, Detroit 2024 sparks curiosity for you to discover more about these extraordinary people and that it serves as an invitation to consider - who would feature in your self-portrait and in that of your community? Who is it that makes it possible for us to rise, together?
CREDITS
Art Director / Photographer / Painter / Set Designer / Artist
Ackeem Salmon
Production Coordinator - Jalyn Baity
Assistant Production Coordinator - Sara Ketchum
Cinematographer - Thomas Pawlowski
Gaffer - Wes Amica
Grip - Khary Mason
DIT - Mark Rutherford
Styling Assistant - Cathy iCare
Props/Accessories - Nneka Jackson
Florists - Laina Martin & Kyra Fuller
Photo PA - Raymar
Set PA / Art PA - Tyler Russell
Set PAs - Caria Taylor & Cara Marie Young
