Mu NI Bati E Tate

“I Have Three Questions”

Wood, Paint, Stainless steel, Large format photography, and felt

48”x48” (closed), 48“x96” (open)

2021

Mu ni bati e tate /Muh-nee Bah-tee ee Tait/ is Bali (my mother’s tribe in Cameroon) for “I have three questions”. The questions being: ‘“Who am I?”, “Does free will exist?”, and “What happens after death?”. These existential questions have plagued my mind, and the minds of many before, with their seemingly elusive and subjective answers. This piece gives a physical manifestation to my pondering, addressing each of these questions in the different mediums that made the most sense with its respective question. “Who Am I?” is somewhat of an abstract relief sculpture using mirrors and stainless steel. Mirrors of varying sizes and distortions bring the viewer into the piece and give them a place for literal self-reflection. “Does Free Will Exist?” is a large-format print depicting a group of friends hanging out. A group of friends doing what they please makes the viewer lean more toward answering yes to the question of free will. “What Happens After Death?” is a felt piece mimicking the mummification process, substituting the amulets they would bury the dead with, with crystals and precious personal objects wrapped and felted into the piece. This reminder of an antiquated burial method allows the viewer to contemplate humanity’s past while thinking of their own inevitable future.