Official Visit Alexandria Visitors Guide 2020 Official Visit Alexandria Visitors Guide(clon | Page 19

WATER F R ON T V I BE
What to do and where to relax riverside.
OLALEKAN
JEYIFOUS
Artist
Meet the Brooklyn-based
artist behind the new
public art installation
coming to Waterfront
Park March to November
as part of the city’s
annual Site See series.
His Story
I was born in Nigeria and
raised in the U.S. My mother’s
side is from the D.C. area.
In my formative years, we
moved to many different
states. Adapting to new
places, I often lost myself in
worlds of my own making.
Finding Inspiration
My background is in architec-
ture. I’m driven to explore the
culture, fictions, histories and
futures of cities and spaces in
whimsical and insightful ways.
Notable Work
I created a 50-foot-tall instal-
lation at Coachella 2017, and
I’m designing a monument to
Shirley Chisholm in Brooklyn
with Amanda Williams.
Waterfront Park
There’s no better way to unwind in Alexandria than heading to the waterfront.
With eight waterfront parks, paths that wind along the Potomac River’s edge and
cruises for the whole family, the water beckons. Picnic in a park. Play a game of
volleyball. Stroll, jog or bike the Mount Vernon Trail, and head north to see D.C.
monuments or to the south to see the historic Jones Point Lighthouse. Feeling
adventurous? Get on the water at Washington Sailing Marina for standup paddle
boarding, kayaking and sailing. Grab an ice cream cone on lower King Street then
head to the Alexandria marina or Waterfront Park where you can recline in an
Adirondack chair or swing into the sunset.
Designed for Alexandria
I seek to capture Alexandria’s
cultural, architectural and
merchant history. Alexan-
dria was one of the largest
domestic slave-trading ports
in the country. My playful,
engaging and sometimes
uneasy reflection on the
triumphant and tragic
aspects of history are a
means for moving toward a
more equitable tomorrow.
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