Artist Statement
For years, our society has struggled with racial inequality and stereotypes. It is something that has become a main conversation topic once again. If underneath we are all the same, why is this such a pressing issue? Growing up, I was always the awkward duckling in my family because I was the only one of my siblings that had darker skin tone. Friends would ask if I was adopted and I felt like I didn’t fit in because of my race.
In the series “Hidden Strength” I manipulate the human body to look unrecognizable, and use paint to disguise the skin to take that point further. By making these images black and white it adds a texture and obscures the body in a way that couldn’t be achieved with color involved. In some of the photos the limbs are wrapped in string which is symbolic for being bound by a stereotype. There are a few pieces that have the string removed but you can see where it was and the skin underneath. This symbolizes breaking free and accepting what you are underneath. By shooting up close, cropping and rotating the images I intend to to keep people guessing and create their own conceptions of what they see.
In the series “Hidden Strength” I manipulate the human body to look unrecognizable, and use paint to disguise the skin to take that point further. By making these images black and white it adds a texture and obscures the body in a way that couldn’t be achieved with color involved. In some of the photos the limbs are wrapped in string which is symbolic for being bound by a stereotype. There are a few pieces that have the string removed but you can see where it was and the skin underneath. This symbolizes breaking free and accepting what you are underneath. By shooting up close, cropping and rotating the images I intend to to keep people guessing and create their own conceptions of what they see.