SPECIALIZATION RECONSTRUCTION OF MEMORY

This project, The Ancestors’ Journey: Recon- structing Memory, delves into African spiri- tuality and the living connection to our an- cestors. By blending elements of the ancient with the modern, it seeks to explore how ancestral memory is carried forward in con- temporary expressions. Through fashion, por- traiture, and historically charged spaces, the project reimagines memory as a bridge,an enduring link between past and present that informs identity and spiritual legacy. The combination of location, fashion and portraiture embodies the theme of reconstructing ancestral memory. It pays homage to the deep-rooted heritage while symbolizing how these spiritual connec- tions are brought into modern-day consciousness, allowing the an- cestral presence to speak through contemporary art and design.Taal Monument—a symbol of Afrikaans heritage—serves to contrast the colo- nially imposed narrative with the deeper, indigenous memory of the land. Positioning portraits within the monument’s striking curves highlights the tension between colonial history and the enduring spirit of native ancestors, symbolizing the reclamation and reconstruction of a memory erased or si- lenced by colonialism.