uic bfa class of 2020

In my paintings, I focus on the vulnerability of subjects, specifically African-American people within American society. Using transparency, I reduce the legibility and realism of the subjects to reveal the complex nature of the black experience. In the history of Western genre painting, the representation of black subjects is limited. Artists such as Jacob Lawrence and Kerry James Marshall have also worked to increase the representation of black figures in painting, while investigating the power balances that exist when creating images that have black figures as the sole subjects.  My works are inspired by experiences shared by people of different backgrounds and cultures. However, the presence of black subjects in the paintings carries the political and social histories associated with African-Americans. In ​Homebirth ​ , I represent a black woman giving birth at home, assisted by a doula and a midwife. The painting references the anxiety around the high mortality rates of black women who give birth in hospitals. Also, in ​Homecoming, ​ I represent a black man returning to the comfort of his family after he engages in violence to protect them.

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1. Homecoming ​ - oil on canvas, 16 in. x 20 in., 2020

2. Homebirth ​ - oil on canvas, 24 in. x 36 in., 2020