Quahog Recollections, 2024
Quahog shells, mortar
College Street, Providence, RI
Installed: May 2024–present

On the sidewalk leading up to Brown University, three deep cracks are mended with mosaics of polished quahog (hard clam) shells. This street art project is both a civic favor and a material land acknowledgement. The Narragansett people, who were once Rhode Island's primary inhabitants, crafted shell beads called wampumpeag from quahog shells. Through the devastation of colonialism, Narragansett artists preserved the tradition of making wampum and other small items from quahogs, which remain abundant in New England.

Executed without permission from any governing body, this project aims to reference the layers of history under College Street and to mark the continued presence of the Narragansett Indian Tribe.

Professor Mack Scott and wampum artist Allen Hazard generously provided guidance for this installation.