Fragmentina, an otherworldly and bewildered being, wakes up on an unknown shore, nearly nude, with her memory almost entirely wiped. All she knows is that she was taken from her home against her will, but doesn’t remember much about her origins or the events that lead to her displacement. Surrounding her on the beach are various pieces of rubble, presumably from the shipwreck that landed her there. She begins to interact with these objects in an attempt to piece together her true identity and point of origin. Her plan is to build a vessel from the wreckage and navigate home. However, it begins to seem like a true home might not exist for her.

“Fragmentina’s Motherland” is a fantastical allegory of displacement, creation of the self, and the African-American experience as a post-modern creative force. I think of it as a parallel narrative to the post-Middle-Passage experience. When I say that I include a sweeping history, from the days of chattel slavery to the modern negro, who served as a driving creative force in America’s cities. Much of the action of the performance is based around improvisation, or play. The play is guided by a prerecorded voice-over. While the objective throughout the performance is to discover the truth of a homeland, the ultimate outcome suggests that for those who have been displaced, home must be created.