At South Street Seaport, Asia Stewart created a sonic landscape and transient memorial to honor the lives of the tens of thousands of enslaved Africans who were trafficked and brought to the port of New York between the seventeenth and early nineteenth centuries. Wearing a garment made of fishing nets and copper pipes (made in collaboration with fashion designer Sarah Wondrack), she transformed her clothing into a series of wind chimes. The force of the wind and motion of her body caused the chimes to continuously ring out into the air.

This performance became almost entirely participatory; Stewart directed audience members and passersby to tie copper pipes to the railings adjacent to Pier 11 and play the copper as instruments. After an hour, participants and Stewart produced a cacophony that crescendoed with the rising tide at sunset.

Cast & Crew:

• Lead Artist & Performer: Asia Stewart

• Performance Photography: Elyse Mertz

• Director of Photography: Grayson Horan

• B Camera Operator: Seyeon Bang

• Costume Designer: Sarah Wondrack

• Makeup Artist: Saba Gray

Commissioned by The Flea as part of the theater's 2026 Juneteenth Festival in New York City

[Watch in full here]