EVOLUTIONS

This series looks outward to the world. 

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My “Evolutions” series was created in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and the protests concerning race inequality in America. The array of suffering that began circulating the nation left this country in chaos — grieving in flames, torn apart and revealing an unsettling divide.

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Like many of us are being forced to do, I picked up what was around me and decided to tell this story the only way I knew how. Reflective of other works of mine, the Evolutions collection is a collage of mostly acrylic and fiber based mediums.

These works are a mirror — the before and after. It is the taking of all the things we are told to hate about ourselves and making it beautiful again. It is the struggle and scars left behind from the loss of our loved ones. As we have all been forced to stay inside and sit with ourselves, we have become more aware of how we move, what triggers us and what transforms us. And as we look at ourselves, we must also realize we are looking at everyone around us, always connected. Those connections live longer than we do. Be mindful.

Through all of this, the person I have looked toward the most is my mother. Being born in Papua New Guinea, her stories and understanding of a supportive community have always inspired my spirit. The colors in this series are influenced by the Sing Sing festivals in Papua New Guinea. As the gatherings of tribes arrive, they show their distinct culture through dance and music, wearing lavish feathers and painting their bodies in many colors. The aim of these gatherings is to peacefully share traditions while respecting differences — something I am committed to expressing within my works — and whole-heartedly desire for the people of my country.