Artist Statement

 

          I grew up in a working-class, yet diverse borough of Philadelphia to a young single mother. I lived in a cultural center and was therefore I was exposed to and participated in art, theatre, music, and dance from a young age. Because of this, I like to think of myself as a multidisciplinary artist. Growing up, I was always in the company of highly intelligent and independent women. I believe that this is what influenced my interest in the social sciences. The great poet Langston Hughes believed that it was impossible to separate his art from his personal identity as a Black American. Similarly, I believe that there must be something inherent in the art we create. This innateness may not even be intentional. But the fact of the art we create is that something of our nature is embedded in its purpose. I find it unlikely, and even impractical, that my identity might exist separately of my creations. This is what you will see in the show.

 

          Raised in an urban area, I was not only exposed to culture, but also to poverty that seemed to be the norm. When I moved to a rural town in Maryland, I was further exposed to an upper-class American society. In spite of the diversity I was privy to, I was equally able to detect the ways in which people are similar. I hope to capture all the facets of the human race that unequivocally bind us together. When I hold a camera in my hands, it is my desire to make personal connections with the people on the other end of the lens. I believe that art is unique in its ability to tie all our cultures together. In this show, you will see a very special group of people: women in the arts. The topic of women in art—and often women in general—is an interesting one. Women surpass men in population however they often treated as a minority, and are limited in the perceived roles they can play. My work will exhibit how college-age women in the arts want to be viewed, and how they feel that they are viewed. The emphasis of my work is the strength of models. I interviewed each of them, and they each had different viewpoints that we then collaborated to portray in my portraits.

 

          I am inspired by other artistic and mindful women, including—but not limited to—Marina Abromovic, Simone de Beauvoir, Julia Margaret Cameron, Angela Davis, Shirin Neshat, Gloria Steinem, Kara Walker, and Carrie Mae Weems. It is incredibly difficult to understand the viewpoints of another without seeing the impact of their beliefs. Art and creation is the most direct path to sympathy, as it is a direct cultivation of personality, philosophy, mindset, and experience. It might be impossible for men to understand what it’s like to be a woman, for a heterosexual person to understand what it’s like to question their orientation, or for someone to understand what it’s like to be a different ethnicity or nationality; but through communication, art, and expression, this goal is certainly more obtainable.

 

          I hope that some will see my photographs and be empowered. I hope that others will connect with the voices of my subjects. I hope that most will look at my work with an open mind. I am optimistic that the outcome of all of this will be a collaborative work: a mishmash of my vision and your reaction. To those like me who feel that art is their mode of communicating important themes, remember the words of Langston Hughes: “An artist must be free to choose what he does, certainly, but he must also never be afraid to do what he might choose.”