“In the series of photographs called Master’s House, I found another way to explore archives and Black history. I feel like my artworks offers a powerful prompt: to consider how your personal objects are connected to the history of slavery.”

- Prince Lang

In his project Master’s House Prince Lang archives each and every object in his home. In each delicate, black and white square, a single item such as a key or a watering can is held aloft in the artist’s hands. They are precious, elegant and whimsical as well as unexpectedly intimate and tender. The effective simplicity of these still lives holds my attention and leads me to consider their significance on a deeper level. As Lang presents us with his belongings, I imagine that he is building a portrait of what home might be to him, and in the process, he prompts the viewer to do the same.

In one image, we see a hand holding an egg. My first reaction is to delight at the archiving of a single, ordinary egg; and then to admire its aesthetic beauty. However, this object also represents a form of nourishment. In another image, an outstretched hand holds a key. This small object implies so much- ownership, access and the freedom to come and go. By beginning this conversation, Lang is implicitly asking us to consider who has access to these resources and those who do not.

The offering of possessions such as these creates the opportunity to think about home as a larger concept. It spurs me to think of what a home would be in its most ideal form- a place of safety and security, a place where one’s basic needs are not only met, but where a person could rest and play. It would be a place where one can hopefully feel some sense of ownership and belonging.

- Mia Dalglish



See more of Prince Lang’s work here.