Artist Tony M. Bingham’s installation, 'The Praise House,' sits on the grounds of the former Scott's Grove Baptist Church and serves as a tribute to the enslaved community. Featuring wood-paneled walls, stained glass, and a Sylacauga marble floor, the work is inspired by the structures built for prayer by enslaved people. Bingham, through his art, aims to honor their history using reclaimed materials, highlighting reflections on their past in collaboration with The Wallace Center for Arts and Reconciliation, focusing on healing and cultural remembrance.
"My way of addressing the power and the legacy is to just begin to look at some of the possible sources of opposition that the enslaved community could have participated in."
"Using organic, repurposed, and cast-off materials, I make art that tells the story of my cast-off people."
"I imagined that these old boards were the very surfaces enslaved people walked on or touched, and I sought to bring those materials back together in a way that could inspire reflection on the history of the enslaved people who once lived there."
Directed by Tyler Jones of 1504, the film is a poignant, enlightening glimpse into the lengthy process behind 'The Praise House.'
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