Origins

The project centers on the creation of a monumental 12-foot tall by 9-foot wide contemporary textile work titled “If You Want A Taste Of Freedom.” Based on a "line style" digital portrait by Himoff that depicts Harriet Tubman as a fierce, defiant young woman, the project explores the intersection of historical inheritance, collective authorship, and modern activism. Rather than a static archive, the work frames Tubman’s legacy as an active survival guide for the modern democratic experiment.

An Intergenerational Collaboration

Fabricated at non-profit maker-space Open Works in East Baltimore, the project utilizes the physical creation of the textile monument as an active educational workspace. The production process pairs master guild elders from the African American Quilters of Baltimore (AAQB) with student artists from the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA). This trusted creative network and collaboration acts as a living laboratory, mirroring the collective logistics and cross-racial partnerships that Tubman built on the Underground Railroad.

The Cinematic Narrative

An essential pillar of the initiative is a 30 to 45-minute documentary film that serves as the project's narrative engine, bridging the historic landscape of the Eastern Shore with urban Baltimore. The film recontextualizes Tubman's history for a contemporary audience—archiving the living oral histories of the master artisans and apprentices as they connect her radical methodology to modern Maryland community leaders whose bold activism carries her legacy forward today.

Regional Tour and Permanent Anchor

Supported by a suite of interpretive assets and traveling infrastructure, the monumental textile will embark on a regional exhibition tour of premier cultural and historical institutions. Following its tour, the physical quilt and an interactive digital media display housing the documentary film will be permanently installed at the Harriet Tubman Freedom Center in Cambridge, Maryland—returning home to stand as an enduring public educational anchor at Tubman’s historic birthplace.

• Public Art Status: Regional exhibition tour and permanent museum installation (2027–2028)

• Institutional Anchor: Harriet Tubman Freedom Center

• Collaborators: African American Quilters of Baltimore (AAQB), Open Works, Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA)

• Project Status: In Production (Phases 1–4 spanning 2026–2028)