The Language of Materials: Art as Witness and Dialogue

The purpose of art is to lay bare the questions that have been concealed by the answers.
 — James Baldwin

My art confronts the unseen, the unspoken, and the deeply felt. I transform everyday materials—often discarded, often overlooked—into intricate works that challenge perceptions, provoke introspection, and bear witness to personal and collective experiences. Through my practice, I engage in conversations about race, gender, identity, and trauma, embedding within my pieces the stories and struggles that are often concealed beneath the surface of social discourse.

Materiality is at the heart of my work. I use found objects, textiles, marine debris, rope, beads, zip ties, and unconventional fibers to weave narratives of resilience and protection. These materials hold memory, energy, and history—I am drawn to the weight of objects that have passed through many hands, the textures that whisper of labor, care, and survival. By repurposing and recontextualizing them, I give voice to experiences that might otherwise be ignored. James Baldwin once said that the purpose of art is to lay bare the questions concealed by the answers, and that is exactly what I strive to do. My I Am My Hair series challenges microaggressions and the politics of Black hair, exposing the ways in which society polices personal expression. My Lost and Found series, created from fragments of the past—discarded netting, frayed fabric, twisted cordage—becomes a meditation on what is carried, lost, and recovered over time.

Through participatory projects like Free Your Mind, I invite the audience to become part of the dialogue, using art as a tool for healing, reflection, and community engagement. I encourage people to share their personal encounters with bias and discrimination, creating spaces where concealed experiences are laid bare, fostering empathy and understanding.

In an era when dominant narratives often seek to erase or rewrite history, my art insists on remembrance, on presence, on truth. It is both shield and mirror—offering protection and clarity in a world that often seeks to obscure. My work does not provide easy answers, but rather compels us to sit with the questions, to acknowledge the weight of silence, and to recognize the power of being seen.

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