Statement of the Artist
Self-Portraits of the Artist as a Reflection of his Present Self
Ink, pastel, gouache on newsprint. Dry Pastel on wood panel. Relief print on newsprint. Dry Pastel on paper. Ink on matboard. Paint marker on canvas panel. Pencil and chalk on paper. Charcoal, chalk, conte pencil on paper. Tempera paint, sharpie, masking tape, colored pencil, marker, on newsprint.
Where do you go in those moments where life rebukes you. What can you build when you feel emotional discomfort enough to scream but it’s joined by physical pain that makes you want to clench your teeth?
Growing up as a black kid in the US I was struck by popular depictions of blackness in the media. In the earlier years of American history, art showing black people was often created for commercial purposes. Minstrelsy and the commodification of black identity has often decentralized honest black experienced in mainstream depictions of black identity. Over time the narratives of blackness have evolved, though not necessarily progressed, and in my youth, I became fascinated with these narratives. Part of this fascination is derived from my personal relationship with my art.
This selection of works comes from a semester of inquiry into personal identity's conscious and subconscious aspects. Well planned drawings with special attention given to proportions served as a vehicle for explaining what I know about myself, and gestural observational drawings served as a mechanism for expressing a momentary feeling, that I didn’t yet understand.
Self-image can be highly curated, but sometimes in the process something is lost. Looking though my camera roll I saw the same bland, alien, half smile that failed to show my feelings or hopes. By exploring the expression and looking intently at my body I built an intimate relationship with my physical form that I didn’t previously have. I gained agency in the presentation of myself. I came to truly see my reflection for the first time.
