Dark Adaptive
PRRLL DVRRS: Sharjah Biennial 14: Leaving the Echo Chamber
PRRLL DVRRS is a movement performance inspired by the labor histories and experiences of enslaved and free men of African-descent in the Gulf Region from the late-nineteenth century until well into the twentieth century. With the expansion of the Gulf pearling industry due to increased European demand for pearls, the need for pearl divers rose significantly during this period. To meet this need, men from East African countries were purchased (and at times, captured through deception), brought to the Gulf Region by boat, and enslaved as pearl divers and fishermen. It is estimated that at the height of the pearling industry, enslaved African men accounted for almost half the population of Gulf divers.