Artist Statement

At its core, my work deals with everyday surrealism and the Black American experience. Surrealism directly connects to the positive, negative, and in-between, and along with memory, dreams, and the subconscious, I consider this a direct way to dissect 500 years of Black ancestral roots and experiences in the Americas. The concept of humanity, in general, is surreal, and our existence is a miracle. But survival through physical, mental, and emotional turmoil across bloodlines is beyond that, and continued Black existence despite the constant setbacks and drawbacks is the definition of surreal, outer body testimony that can be dissected and understood through history, cinema, data, art, literature, interviews, and more. My work is a culmination of this theory. It is essential to retrace, learn, research, study, and explore seldom-seen aspects of Black American life without creative restriction. Through personal and shared histories, media, art, and pop culture, my work navigates the surrealism of Black American life via my memory and the inner and outer workings of those around me. I explore themes and topics such as sexuality, the entertainment and art world, technology, environment, young adulthood, femininity, relationships and marriage, religion, family, and ancestral roots. I am interested in how these interconnect and how our relationship with technology, pop culture, news, media, and celebrity culture directly affects the modern and past interpretation and reality of Black life in America through film, video, photo, archive, and installation.