The Easter Basket: Cracked Open
Art statement
My photographic process places as much an emphasis on preserving memories as it does creating images. "Memories have the power to heal. We just have to pay attention to what they’re trying to tell us."
-Adrian White
This installation is a spiritual observance and commemoration to the things and people in my life who helped create the mosaic of who I am today. The basket is a memorial to my family. The items on the walls consist of family photos before my birth and during my childhood, personal paperwork and documents like my diploma, items from my military service, and current photos of my family. They are intentionally arranged using a maximalist technique to elicit an overwhelming sensation symbolizing the devastating pressures put onto Black women who tend to be the glue that hold down the Black family. Regularly engaging with preserved artifacts, a painted body cast of myself, photos, and ephemera these elements acquire different ontological understandings while pointing to the strong relationships between identity, culture, and family.
