Survival and Demise in the United States: The Ultimate Divide
The ongoing project "The Land of Milk and Honey," led by stylist Alexander-Julian Gibbson and designer Shakeil Greeley, is a thought-provoking exploration of American identity through the experiences of immigrant communities. This project uses the metaphor of "the land of milk and honey"—a phrase traditionally symbolizing a promised land of prosperity—to critically engage with the realities immigrants encounter in the U.S.
The project aims to celebrate immigrant communities and their perseverance, while also studying the fluidity of national identity. It explores the tension between the idealized American Dream and the often harsh and complex experiences of immigrant life, highlighting their struggles and resilience.
Through documentary-like family portraits styled and creatively directed by Gibbson, and short interviews conducted by Greeley, the project invites each family member to reflect on questions related to the American dream, such as what are American values, are you free in America, who thrives in America, who dies in America. A consistent thread between Black and Brown families is evident in these reflections, with the younger generation generally more critical of the United States compared to older relatives.
The project dismantles reductive narratives about immigration and prompts deeper questions around cultural belonging and hybridity, as well as the politics of land ownership and the colonial legacies of modern-day borders. It acknowledges the historical living of Native Americans on the land and the systemic displacement they have faced.
The families for the project were mainly found through friends and Instagram. Many clothes worn by the families were pulled from designers from the diaspora of the respective communities. The project was inspired by the Trump presidency and the rhetoric about going back to where one came from.
One of the creators' mothers is a single parent, and they feel if she had the opportunities they had, she would also be doing something creative. The collaboration between Gibbson and Greeley came about after Greeley's question series about America, which asked questions like who thrives in America, what do you love about America, and what do you hate about America.
The project questions the arbitrary reasons for different circumstances for people living near borders and aims to acknowledge the history of the land and question who gets to say what land belongs to what nationality. Through its narrative and analysis, "The Land of Milk and Honey" reveals how immigrant identities help redefine what it means to be American by bringing diverse histories, cultures, and aspirations into the broader national story, thus deepening an understanding of American identity beyond conventional boundaries.
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