Anina Major: The Sacred Mangrove

Bahamian artist Anina Major transforms the tradition of palm-leaf weaving into an immersive ceramic installation rooted in Caribbean memory, labor and ecology. On view October 1, 2026 through August 1, 2027 at Pérez Art Museum Miami, Anina Major: The Sacred Mangrove expands the artist’s exploration of craft, ancestry and cultural value through clay, sculpture and installation. Born in Nassau and based in New York, Major hand-weaves clay to echo Bahamian plaiting traditions, shifting a practice associated with organic fiber and impermanence into fired ceramic forms. Her work considers the knowledge and labor embedded in Bahamian craft, while also reflecting on the tension between the islands’ image as a tourist paradise and the cultural traditions that sustain local identity. The PAMM installation includes Water Tower from the museum’s collection, along with towering woven clay sculptures, bottle trees and a path of crushed conch shells. Together, these elements create an environment that connects material, memory and place while positioning weaving as a powerful expression of belonging.