Malik Seneferu shares his artistic creation called The Ancestral Constitution Before Juneteenth to Black August  

by Malik Seneferu

The Ancestral Constitution is my declaration that the true foundations of this nation were not written on parchment, but carried in the bodies, memories, and spiritual technologies of African-descended people. This work is a visual treaty—an illuminated manuscript composed of color, geometry, lineage, struggle, and triumph. It is a constitution older than America itself.

At the center is a ceremonial face constructed from diasporic patterning, ancestral codes, African fractals, and the histories of San Francisco and Oakland. This face is not an individual; it is a nation unto itself—a composite spirit formed from every migration story, every liberation act, every mother’s protection, every ancestor’s prayer. Its eyes hold five centuries of vigilance and visionary seeing.

Surrounding this central figure are maps of our becoming: the Golden Gate Bridge as a gateway of migration; Black Panther women as the architects of community defense; the riders as echoes of the early Black West; mothers and children as the carriers of memory; symbols and glyphs as amendments of survival. Each image is a clause in a constitution that was never acknowledged, yet always lived.

This painting asserts that Black memory is an American archive. Black struggle is American architecture. Black creativity is American possibility.

The patterns, orbs, and ceremonial markings function as spiritual articles—living laws of continuity that cannot be erased by history books or policy. They are the unbroken logic of a people who have endured everything and remain expansive, loving, and visionary.

The Ancestral Constitution is both a mirror and a monument. A mirror for those who see their own survival encoded in its face. A monument for the ancestors whose names may never appear in the textbooks, but whose brilliance built the light of this nation.

My intention is simple:

To reveal the constitution beneath the Constitution.

To center the people who have been rendered peripheral.

To honor the lineage that made my life, my art, and the Bay Area possible.

This work is not a rewriting—it is a remembering.

It is a restoration of truth.

— Malik Seneferu, Bayview–Hunters Point / San Francisco–Oakland Diaspora

Malik Seneferu – Artist Bio

Malik Seneferu is a visionary multidisciplinary artist and steward of black culture in San Francisco. His work transcends borders, blending painting, muralism, assemblage, and public art to explore themes of identity, resilience, and cultural memory. Born and raised in San Francisco, Seneferu’s artistic journey is deeply rooted in the narratives of the African diaspora, drawing from ancestral traditions, historical consciousness, and contemporary Black life. His work embodies a visual language that bridges abstraction and figuration, merging vibrant color palettes, rhythmic forms, and layered symbolism to create compositions that are both deeply personal and universally resonant.

Seneferu’s practice is a testament to the enduring power of art as a tool for storytelling, healing, and liberation. His paintings and mixed-media works have been exhibited in prestigious institutions, galleries, and public spaces, capturing the attention of collectors and cultural scholars alike. He is known for his ability to transform urban landscapes with monumental murals that serve as cultural landmarks, reflecting the strength, beauty, and complexity of Black existence.

A self-taught artist with a mastery of multiple mediums, Seneferu’s work has been featured in national and international exhibitions, including collaborations with institutions such as the Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD), the Oakland Museum of California, and the de Young Museum. His pieces reside in private and public collections worldwide, and his commitment to community engagement has made him a sought-after educator, mentor, and speaker.

Through his work, Malik Seneferu continues to carve out spaces for Black voices, affirming the spiritual and historical dimensions of African and African American identity. His art is not just a visual experience—it is an invocation, a dialogue, and an enduring contribution to the ever-expanding canon of global Black artistry.

The post Malik Seneferu shares his artistic creation called The Ancestral Constitution Before Juneteenth to Black August   appeared first on San Francisco Bay View.

Source: https://sfbayview.com/2026/02/malik-seneferu-shares-his-artistic-creation-called-the-ancestral-constitution-before-juneteenth-to-black-august/