Statement
As a little black girl walking through physical and online galleries, I was always awestruck by the feminine forms depicted in art from the Classical, Renaissance, and Art Nouveau periods. They were plush, expressive, ethereal, and, most noticeably, fair. Their beauty felt more holy to me than any god I'd be raised to exalt, and I wished so badly to see myself in the alluring aura that could steal the breath of observers. But their beauty was almost synonymous with their whiteness. Pale, blushing skin; long, straight hair. For a good portion of my life, I wrestled with my physical blackness. I fried the kinks out of my hair, smiled in a way that minimized the plumpness of my lips, and inflected my voice to be more palpable. I wish I could apologize to that little girl. I wish I could help her feel beautiful. So, instead, I use my work to heal her and immortalize our beauty in art. I want her, and other little girls like her, to be able to see themselves on the walls of galleries. Because our beauty is worth celebrating.
