Ashes

2014

20min

Ashes (2002-2015) a double video projection, tells the story of a young Caribbean man known by this name. In 2002 while shooting Caribs' Leap in Grenada, McQueen met and filmed a young man called Ashes, but the footage was not used. Many years later he learned that Ashes had been killed. McQueen decided to create a tribute to him, combining old and new footage. On one side of the screen, Ashes is full of life, his boat moving towards a seemingly unending horizon. The other side shows his tomb being constructed and the etching of a memorial plaque for his grave. Over the soundtrack, two local men tell the story of Ashes's untimely death.