Overview: Sankofa by Jassieuo (Jasmine Durhal)

Sankofa—a word from the Akan language meaning “to go back and get back”—serves as the thematic core of Jassieuo’s photographic exhibition. Through this series, she examines what it means to revisit the past to reclaim what has been lost or forgotten jassieuo.com+1.

Themes and Inspiration

  • Journey of the Self & Ancestral Roots
    Jassieuo’s exploration spans personal and collective identity. She reflects on the internal struggles of Black women, engaging in a journey through memory, subconscious, and ancestral ties jassieuo.com+1.

  • Spiritual Root Work and Cultural Pilgrimage
    To deepen this connection, Jassieuo traveled to places like Cuba, Guadalupe, Mexico, and Egypt. These spiritual sabbaticals informed her creativity, allowing her to infuse her artwork with fragments of ancestral wisdom and collective consciousness.

    Exhibition Journey

    • The Art Room Gallery (Oct–Nov 2023)
      The series debuted at The Art Room gallery in DTLA, where it was presented as a deeply personal and reflective odyssey: “a captivating exploration, offering a deeply personal perspective on the internal struggles faced while seeking to reunite, undo, and align various facets of the self” jassieuo.com.

    • Sankofa at Sip & Sonder (Feb–Apr 2024)
      Later, Sankofa was displayed at Sip & Sonder in Inglewood, CA, during Black History Month and Women’s Month celebrations. The artist curated a community-centric environment—complete with “black girl lattes”—and hosted an art talk to deepen engagement with the series' significance jassieuo.com+1.

      • Frieze Art Week LA 2025
        Jassieuo extended her reach to Frieze Art Week Los Angeles 2025, one of the most significant art events on the West Coast hosted at the Santa Monica Airport InstagramPinterest. In her own words:

        “That’s a wrap on @friezeofficial Art Week with @thelinehotel! … I hadn’t planned to move the Sankofa Exhibit at all this year—but I’m so grateful to have been part of this moment, and thrilled that new faces had the chance to experience the artwork.” Pinterest

      • Hilton Coffee Shop, 2024 (tentative context)
        While there’s no explicit record of a “Hilton Coffee Shop” exhibition in 2024 directly linked to Sankofa, Jassieuo referenced presenting elements of the project in a bustling coffee shop environment:

        “...these in the wild aka a loud coffee shop, slide for reference” Instagram+1
        It's possible this refers to pop-up visuals or preparatory displays in a café-like setting—potentially in a Hilton-branded venue. However, without further confirmation, it seems tied more to the raw, public presentation of her work rather than a formal exhibition.

    • Community-Focused Exhibitions and Engagement
      Jassieuo is intentional in selecting venues that echo the work’s spirit. Through her exhibitions, she fosters dialogues that celebrate Black women’s experiences and ancestral memory, emphasizing shared values between artwork and space