Statement
Over the past five years, I have been constructing my own personal mythology situated in an alternate world which continues to organically grow, evolve and guide my art practice. Interweaving the rich history of West African folktales, Vodún religion and Greek mythology, I invented a pantheon of seven supernatural beings known as “skins” – each uniquely allegorical, self-assured and motivated to intercede on behalf of anyone who calls to them. These skins offer varied, unencumbered possibilities for self-expression, acting as conduits of agency.
I world build through the perspective of these skins, whose realm visually spills into ours. Acting as an interpreter, I translate their messages, desires and legends through immersive installations, large-scale paintings and mixed-media tapestries that invite viewers to physically and emotionally step into their world. I render these skins and their surroundings in prismatic and textured layers of mixed media – paint, pastels, paper, textiles, and objects of devotion (beads, dyed threads, raffia and glass) – materials that echo those used in ritual acts and shrine-building. These choices aim to create tactile and sensory resonance, allowing audiences to touch, wander through, or simply gaze into spaces where the boundaries between our realities dissolve.
My intent is to propose alternate realities where freedom to express the self is a given and not a radical act. I explore the tension between addressing real-world problems plaguing women–gender -based violence, objectification and shame – and seeking answers beyond our reality, as African folktales and belief systems have long done. I am drawn to the power of storytelling to bridge past, present and future, to offer wonder and hope while blurring the lines between real and surreal. This blurring acts as an instrument to infuse the mundane with the extraordinary, challenging oppressive norms while imagining liberatory possibilities.