This photography exhibition delves into the lesser known history of maroons—enslaved people who sought freedom by escaping plantations and carving out a self-determined life in Four Holes Swamps and the wetlands of the South Carolina Lowcountry. Set against the haunting beauty of the ancient cypress swamp at the Audubon Center in Francis Beidler Forest, the series features descendants of enslaved Africans embodying the spirit and resilience of these freedom seekers. Known as "borderland maroons," these freedom fighters navigated the treacherous swamps, using the waterways as a guide and sanctuary, and often evading capture by enslavers who pursued them relentlessly.
Drawing on historical accounts (including testimony from maroons themselves), the photographs connect viewers to the landscapes that once served as both refuge and battleground. The swamp's dense brush and hidden creeks provided cover, sustenance, and a pathway to a fragile, hard-won autonomy. Through these portraits, this series honors the courage of those who sought freedom not in distant lands, but in the harsh yet familiar terrain of the Lowcountry, reclaiming their humanity and history.
About the artist:
Brittney “Blue” Ferrette Washington (she/they) is a multidisciplinary artist who works from an understanding that 1) our most important responsibility is dismantling the power arrangements that maintain oppression; 2) everyone has different points of entry into politicization and social justice movements; and 3) art is a powerful portal to healing, imagination, and movement for that purpose. Blue uses painting, illustration, and filmmaking to uplift the experiences and perspectives of African-Americans living in the US South. Her work decolonizes ideas of normality and invites radical empathy across difference. As a racial justice strategist and cultural organizer, Brittney has facilitated internationally to illuminate the historical events that shape our current experiences of racialized poverty, trauma, and disconnection. She curates arts-based spaces where folks can be brave, vulnerable, and imaginative about how to shape a liberatory future. She also serves as a visual arts producer for social justice groups. Blue recently was a Visiting Artist with the Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston, was the Program Coordinator for Outreach and Public Programming at the Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture, and currently studies filmmaking at Trident Technical College. Brittney is the founder and director of The Ferrette House, a creative and healing arts residency located in her family’s Walterboro, SC ancestral home.
Brittney Ferrette Washington
bnw.washington@gmail.com
www.labrittneyarts.com
www.ferrettehouse.org
@thegalwhofellfromspace (Instagram)
