‘Here You Are’ exhibit: Staten Island Museum showcases 7 artists

Artist Gabri Christa said her work is hard to define.

“It’s often called screen-dance or dance-film,” Christa said. “It’s like a multimedia, experimental film.”

Christa’s semi-autobiographical film, Kankantri, plays on a loop in the exhibit.

Filmed entirely in Suriname, the wordless video follows a woman’s dreamlike journey meeting with different ancestors. She practices dance rituals with ancestors from various cultures.

“It’s about embracing heritages, to become whole,” Christa said. She said she wants people to be “curious, not afraid.”

The piece was filmed primarily in a synagogue in Suriname, reflecting Christa’s own ancestry. Part of the inspiration for the project, Christa said, was discovering she had some Jewish lineage on her father’s side. Her rich heritage includes Surinamese, Chinese, and Dutch, too.

Christa first thought of making the film on a trip to Suriname years ago.

“Many different cultures live peacefully in Suriname,” Christa, a Staten Island resident, said. The synagogue she filmed the project in is located beside a mosque, “and they share everything.”

Christa also remarked on the shared history of New York City and Suriname.

“The Dutch and British traded Suriname for New Amsterdam,” Christa said – linking the two historically.

Here You Are exhibit at the Staten Island Museum