Jamie Robertson's 'soft heat' exhibition at Houston Center for Photography explores swamp memory and Black liberation
At the Houston Center for Photography, Jamie Robertson's exhibition 'soft heat' showcases infrared images of Southern wetlands, running until April 12, 2026. This collection employs a Black Feminist hauntological perspective to reinterpret swamp areas as centers of maroon resistance, featuring sites such as Caddo Lake, Natchitoches, and the Great Dismal Swamp. Influenced by Toni Morrison's concept of water memory and Édouard Glissant's ideas on maroonage, Robertson presents significant pieces like 'Osman in the Swamp' (2024), which illustrate militant defiance. The Great Dismal Swamp, encompassing 113,000 acres, played a crucial role for those seeking freedom. Additionally, the zine 'Alligatorwatergreen' (2024) includes surveys on swamp perceptions, addressing misconceptions about Southern wetlands and emphasizing the enduring memories of Black liberation amidst ecological misunderstandings.
Key facts
- Jamie Robertson's exhibition 'soft heat' runs through April 12, 2026 at Houston Center for Photography
- The exhibition features infrared photographs of Southern wetlands including Caddo Lake, Natchitoches, and the Great Dismal Swamp
- Robertson employs Black Feminist hauntological analysis to explore swamp memory and Black liberation
- The Great Dismal Swamp now covers 113,000 acres across southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina
- The series includes photographs like 'Osman in the Swamp' (2024) depicting a formerly enslaved person
- An accompanying zine 'Alligatorwatergreen' (2024) features word clouds from swamp perception surveys
- Robertson references Toni Morrison's concept of water memory and Édouard Glissant's ideas about maroonage
- The artist describes her work as a 'poetic means of seeing beyond human sight' connecting to Black maroon ancestors
Entities
Artists
- Jamie Robertson
- Toni Morrison
- Édouard Glissant
- Patrick Chamoiseau
- Paulo Miyada
- Ana Roman
- Osman
Institutions
- Houston Center for Photography
- New York Public Library
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
- Center for Art, Research and Alliances
- The Department of Information
- burnaway.org
Locations
- Houston
- Texas
- Caddo Lake
- Natchitoches
- Louisiana
- Great Dismal Swamp
- Virginia
- North Carolina
- New York
- United States
Sources
- Burnaway —