African American Performance Art Archive

Summary:

Senga Nengudi “instigated and conceived” Ceremony for Freeway Fets, a collaborative performance held at a Los Angeles freeway underpass to mark the installation of Nengudi’s public artwork, Freeway Fets. She adds, “Ceremony for Freeway Fets was a piece of mine that Maren, David, and others performed in.” Maren Hassinger, a participant in the performance, concurs, noting that the performance “was definitely her inspiration…In fact, the freeway piece was part of her participation in a CETA, Title VI Grant from Brockman Gallery Productions in Los Angeles. Many participated in this piece, but Senga was definitely the initiator and maker of many props, etc.” It was sponsored by CalTrans.

For the performance, Nengudi collaborated with David Hammons, Hassinger, and “members of Studio Z, an artists collective.” Of Studio Z, she writes, “I was actually a member of that collective at that time. Some of the members of that collective came out to support and participate in their ‘sister friend’s’ opening ceremony,” adding, “Maren Hassinger, Franklin Parker, and Roho were all members at one point.”  According to Nengudi, “The photographer who took the photos that day was also a part of that collective-Roderick ‘Quaku’ Young.”

Ceremony for Freeway Fets is featured in Barbara McCullough’s 1979 film, Shopping Bag Spirits and Freeway Fetishes: Reflections on Ritual and Space.

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