Prayer Piece,

2000

Bell layered objects from diverse African cultures (Zulu, Dogon, and Fang) in this work that specifically addresses South Africa’s HIV/AIDS epidemic. The eclectic imagery reflects Bell’s selfdescribed interest in pan-continental identity and “Africanness.” The red AIDS ribbon dangling from a safety pin at upper left evokes the beaded handicrafts made by people living with HIV/AIDS who are employed by South African nonprofits. The Zulu milk vessel (<em>ithunga</em>) at right is, in the artist’s words, “full to the brim—symbolic of health, fertility, and nourishment.” At left, a figure from Gabon once topped a container filled with the relics of Fang ancestors. And at center, the Dogon-inspired mother and child figures may allude to the disease’s burden on these demographics. In Dogon culture, such figures would have been accompanied by prayers for safe pregnancies.