I'm constantly looking for creative ways to spark challenging conversations.  我经常寻求创新的方式，通过绘画、雕塑、视频和表演

I do this through painting, sculpture, video and performance.  去启发大家思考，一些有挑战性的话题。

But regardless of the format, two of my favorite materials are history and dialogue. 但是抛开形式不谈，我最喜欢的材料是历史和对话。

In 2007, I created "Lotus," a seven-and-a-half-foot diameter, 在2007年，我创造了“莲花”，一个直径约2.3米

600-pound glass depiction of a lotus blossom.  重达600磅的莲花花瓣玻璃刻绘作品。

In Buddhism, the lotus is a symbol for transcendence and for purity of mind and spirit. 在佛教中，莲花是超然的象征，是纯净的意念和精神的象征。

But a closer look at this lotus reveals each petal to be the cross-section of a slave ship. 但是仔细看这个莲花，每一个花瓣都是贩卖奴隶的船只的横截面。

This iconic diagram was taken from a British slaving manual  我所临摹的图像来自于英国的奴役手册，

and later used by abolitionists to show the atrocities of slavery.  它后来被废奴主义者用来展示奴隶制的残忍。

In America, we don't like to talk about slavery, nor do we look at it as a global industry. 在美国我们不愿意讨论奴隶制，我们也不把奴隶制当成全球的产业。

But by using this Buddhist symbol,  用这个佛学象征

I hope to universalize and transcend the history and trauma of black America 我希望可以让大家意识到非裔美国人的历史，治愈他们的的创伤，

and encourage discussions about our shared past.  并且鼓励有关我们共同的过去的讨论。

To create "Lotus," we carved over 6,000 figures.  为了创作“莲花”，我们雕刻了6000多个人物。

And this later led to a commission by the City of New York  之后美国纽约议会

to create a 28-foot version in steel as a permanent installation at the Eagle Academy for Young Men, 在青年鹰学院制造了一个直径8.5米的钢铁版本。

a school for black and latino students, the two groups most affected by this history. 青年鹰学院是一所为非裔和拉丁裔学生服务的学校。这两类人是受历史影响最大的，

The same two groups are very affected by a more recent phenomenon, but let me digress. 同样是他们，近来又到了巨大的影响。我后面会继续讲这个话题。

I've been collecting wooden African figures from tourist shops and flea markets around the world. 我一直在全球的纪念品商店和跳蚤市场收集木质非洲人物雕塑。

The authenticity and origin of them is completely debatable,  他们的来源和真实性是很值得怀疑的，

but people believe these to be imbued with power, or even magic. 但是人们相信雕塑里蕴含能量，甚至魔法。

Only recently have I figured out how to use this in my own work.  直到最近我才找到它们用在我的作品中的办法。