Indira Allegra's Sail Installation Honors Ona Judge and Rem'mie Fells at Philadelphia Festival

On May 28, conceptual artist indira allegra will unveil 'Sail Through This to That' at Spruce Street Harbor in Philadelphia. This installation showcases three neon sails on the schooner North Wind, paying tribute to Ona Judge's escape from George and Martha Washington's enslavement in 1796, as well as honoring Rem'mie Fells, a 27-year-old Black transgender woman who was murdered in 2020. The idea for this piece came to Allegra five years ago, inspired by curator Rob Blackson's introduction to the stories of Judge and Fells. Designed in collaboration with Olivia Dwyer and Dayle Ward, the sails will remain on display until July 30. The title draws from Lucille Clifton's poem 'Blessing the Boats' (2000), and the work is presented by ArtPhilly, founded by Katherine Sachs, as part of its first program.