A Dice Game With Spirits by Ronald Baker

A Dice Game with Spirits by Ronald Baker, short film, shot with a VHS HI8, 6 min.

This video is about veneration and to communicate with my ancestors and other deities (energies). This video takes place in a project staircase in the Bronx, where the altar is set up. Rolling dice in the staircase was a regular thing myself and friends would do to pass the time. From a spiritual perspective rolling dice can be used for divination. During this video I’m seen pouring libations and burning ancestral money as an offering along with the dice game itself. This video is a blend of my urban upbringing and spirituality, and an offering to the spirits working in my favor. Metaphysically connecting to my higher self through the power of my subconscious mind.

Ronald Baker is a multidisciplinary self-taught artist born and raised in Bronx NYC. who works deals with mainly the making of sculptures and experimental short films. Finding found objects and visiting nearby botanicas for religious and spiritual statues is how Ronald sources his materials to make his sculptures. “Hood spirituality” is a phrase Ronald likes to use to describe his art practice. Using inspirations from his urban upbringing, basketball, dice games, altars in front of the project buildings etc. With an ongoing search of knowledge self, Ronald tends to blend the books he as read over the years into his sculptures. The future outlook for his art practice is continuing to be in group art shows, have solo exhibitions. Create larger size sculptures and produce more extended films dealing with spirituality from an urban context.