Artist Jeff Marley recently visited Ross’s Landing in Chattanooga, Tenn., to create an installation of his signs. “Creating this installation is part of acknowledging our history and culture, while simultaneously reasserting our presence,” Marley said.
Seven of Jeff Marley’s “we are still here” signs are in place at the stickball mural at Ross’ Landing in Chattanooga. (Photo courtesy of Jeff Marley)
Marley’s signs are small and very simple; in the Cherokee language, they proclaim, “Si otsedoha” and underneath the translation in English, “We are still here.” The signs are part of a project to create a new context and awareness of history and Native peoples.
“Ross’s Landing was the starting point for the water route on the Trail of Tears, so it is one of several important locations for reasserting that we are indeed still here. I see this project continuing to grow to encompass installations at other locations beyond the Qualla Boundary” said Marley. While in Chattanooga, Marley also visited Red Clay to create images with the signs. Those images are available on his website.
Jeff Marley received his Bachelors of Fine Art from Western Carolina University in 2005 and is currently pursuing his Masters in Fine Art at Vermont College of Fine Arts. More information about Jeff Marley and his work are available on the web at www.jeffmarley.com or by emailing jeff@jeffmarley.com.
– Jeff Marley
