Artist Statement

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My work explores the human body as both a subject and an allegory for issues related to misogynoir in healthcare, history, and society. I aim to create a speculative world and develop characters that delve into these themes through various artistic mediums, including painting, three-dimensional materials, collage, and digital artwork. I experiment with portraiture and figurative abstraction, using color, negative space, and mark-making to narrate the stories I create. While my creative process typically begins with painting, as an interdisciplinary artist, I "paint" across different mediums.

My fascination with human anatomy and physiology began in early childhood and was further reinforced during my first semester when I visited the Tufts School of Medicine cadaver lab. Engaging with Dr. Krista Johansen and gaining hands-on experience with human organs allowed me to connect with the human body beyond the confines of screens and textbooks. The structure of the human body has inspired me to construct an anatomical world; however, my experiences as a Black woman in healthcare and society have profoundly influenced the narratives that inhabit it. Black women often face barriers to receiving adequate medical care for their bodies and mental health. My race and gender have shaped not only my own experiences but also those of many Black women, often leaving us unheard, mistreated, and unprotected. By connecting issues of misogynoir with anatomy, I explore the healthcare, historical, and societal challenges that Black women face and continue to endure today.

My narrative unfolds in an extraterrestrial world constructed from the bodies of Black women and inhabited by biochemical beings who act as the goddesses of this realm. Inspirations for this world include "Steven Universe," "Attack on Titan," "Star Wars," "Parable of the Sower," "Scavengers Reign," and "Binti." As I continue to develop this body of work, my goal is to expand my world and its characters while creating accessible points of entry for viewers to engage with its narratives.