The uniquely textured surface in Artifact is made of built-up plaster and sand, which point towards the past. The contrasting vivid pop colors act as signal to the present and future. The inviting surface begs for the viewer’s hand to experience “finding” the symbols on an ancient wall. In this way, the artist is simultaneously portraying multiple timelines and exploring their connectedness. The recollection of what has been lost and what is yet to be discovered in the future is another underlying theme in this new work. In Umoja, Brown-Kossi is creating what appear to be maps, but on closer inspection, viewers will note the shapes are not specific geographical locations. Instead, the abstract map images are symbolic to his own experience of melding cultures in his life. As the artist works towards his Canadian citizenship, he is increasingly fascinated with the many questions of identity, immigration and ancestry. The term Umoja is from the Kiswahili language spoken in 14 different African countries. In this context, the term directly refers to the imagines maps and translates to “unity”.