‘Hoodoo Majesty’ is Amber Stephen’s take on a traditional pearl necklace. ‘Hoodoo’ refers to the accumulation of several cultural traditions, born from slavery; whilst ‘Majesty’ refers to the quality Stephen’s piece assigns to the animal carcasses used. The necklace is often thought of as a symbol of feminine sophistication, however this changes tone when worn by a man. Its meaning is further altered by the addition of traditional African tribal adornment- in the forms of bones and chicken feet.
Throughout the production of this work, the issue of relationships surfaced again and again: the relationship between different cultures and genders, and the relationship between humans and animals. ‘Hoodoo Majesty’ aims to prompt a debate around pressing issues of animal cruelty, consciousness and post-colonial identity’.