Redox Drip (2019)

 Norbert Rilliuex born in 1806 was among the earliest African American chemical engineers. He is known for his invention of the Multiple-Effect Evaporator under Vacuum, a machine designed to efficiently use the latent heat from steam to process sugar. I consider Norbert Rilliuex’s invention of the Multiple-Effect Evaporator as a form of Black Secret Technology. His invention sits somewhere between heroic myth and alchemy as a Black Art. Working from Rillieux’s evaporator, Redox Drip aims to revive neglected legacies of black inventions and challenge modernist narratives of scientific advancement. By setting a stage in which live chemical reactions, overlooked archives, and interdisciplinary creations meet, Redox Drip enables the emergence of new and transformative knowledges.