"It is the eternal struggle between two principals—right and wrong—throughout the world..."—Abraham Lincoln
Commissioned by the Orlando Philharmonic and the Akron Symphony in honor of the Lincoln bicentennial and the centennial of the NAACP, The Eternal Struggle is a dramatic portrait of three main themes: the American Civil War, Abraham Lincoln and the ongoing struggle for freedom, justice and equality.
In creating the piece, I considered over 10,000 historical photographs from the Library of Congress and other sources. I specifically chose imagery to create a portrait not only of Lincoln, but also of the extraordinary context which almost tore America apart. In addition to the moving words of Lincoln and the power of a great classical composition, The Eternal Struggle envelops you with actual images of Lincoln, slavery, the daily lives of soldiers and the tragic aftermath of the Civil War. The Eternal Struggle ends with important milestones in the struggle for Civil Rights.
Through this process, I also felt a stronger personal connection to my great, great grandfather and namesake, James Westwater, who, in his role as a station master on the Underground Railroad, helped escaping slaves reach their freedom in Canada.
PREMIERE: Orlando Philharmonic and Akron Symphony
Contact Westwater Arts for the orchestral repertoire for this photochoreography.
