#wormsley

Alisha Wormsley can be described in one word as diverse. Working as a multi-media artist, photographer, teaching artist and writer, she has been involved in numerous projects. Based both in Pittsburg and Brooklyn, Alisha has shared her talents with several cultural institutions such as Children’s Aid Society, the Studio Museum of Harlem, the Romare Bearden Foundation, and the Faith Ringgold School in Harlem.

A former student of anthropology and documentary art, Alisha’s studies have assisted her with the development of her artwork. Her inspiration comes from stories, skills, and rituals which are then applied to her work. As she explains, “I collect these stories, archiving them and always making connections between them.”

Her most recent work, The Children of NAN, fuses together both folklore traditions and pop culture, producing what she describes as “new fictions and science fictions.” Alisha’s work brings together film, photography and sound in order to create a more conceptually complete image. She further describes the work as “a mythology of civilization in which, 2000 years ago, dark skinned women ruled the earth.”

Through her alteration of historical episodes, Alisha has challenged the current world in which we live. Her work theorizes a scenario that calls for interracial relations in order for the human race to survive; yet it still manages to render notions of racial oppression. By doing so, this new fiction recognizes the current success of Black Americans and praises them for how far they have come since the times of slavery. Alisha’s work is also applicable to the progress of black women in a male dominant society. However, it still understands the various struggles that remain within these communities. Seen in this context one may begin to better understand the messages she is attempting to present. Alisha’s video captures a distinct truth of history that could only be attainable in fictitious expeditions, one that ventures through a conceptual future.

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By Romina Cameron

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After experiencing the Ladies European tour two weeks ago, I was equally excited about another first. This time it was women’s cricket, which admittedly was long overdue. As part of a new format the sole Ashes test match is being played at the picturesque Wormsley cricket ground in Buckinghamshire.

Over the last few years I’ve heard glowing reports about women’s cricket from my dad who has watched and umpired a number of matches, including a couple at Wormsley. I was about to see why the standard and the ground have impressed him so much - along with around the 3,000 spectators who had attended the first day.