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Djembe, an interactive public art installation by George Sabra, stands next to the O. Henry Museum at Brush Square in Austin. Commissioned by the City of Austin, it symbolizes the heart and rhythm of the community, inviting all to participate in a living musical experience that reflects Austin's vibrant music culture.
The artwork draws on Brush Square’s history as a former cotton yard and railroad hub where enslaved individuals once worked. Sabra reclaims this history of injustice and transforms the space from one of suffering into one of creative freedom, using the drum as a symbol of resilience. The artwork also addresses social justice by acknowledging the historical ban on drums during slavery—an attempt to silence African American culture—and celebrates the fusion of African and American music traditions, particularly the influence of African American musical legacies like blues and jazz.
Standing 12 feet tall, Djembe incorporates reclaimed household items—such as pots, pans, and spoons—to represent drums, highlighting sustainability, resourcefulness, and creative reuse.
These humble domestic tools carry deep symbolic meaning: used across the world in times of poverty and protest, they speak to the struggles of those whose voices are often unheard. In many cultures, banging pots and pans has become a sound of resistance, hunger, and hope—a way for communities to demand change when they have nothing left but noise.
Here, those same objects are transformed into instruments of power and unity. Djembe invites the public not just to make music, but to make their voices heard. It becomes a platform for civic expression—a living artwork where people can gather, protest, celebrate, and reflect.The drum, a universal symbol found in cultures worldwide since 6000 BC, serves as a powerful reminder of music’s ability to transcend boundaries, uniting people through its rhythm and deep cultural significance. Djembe transforms Brush Square into a space of empowerment—honoring resilience, calling attention to injustice, and celebrating the global power of music to heal, resist, and unite.
