Description
One piece, framed.
21 x 17 inch (h x w)
Mixed media
Artist Statement:
Being a mixed media artist, I used cardstock paper on a painted canvas and colored pencils for the details. Using paper to create a texture that isn’t flat to replicate the complexity of natural hair is a fun process that makes me proud to have the hair that I have. I enjoyed creating a simple but layered grassy background that allows a brown skin tone to both stand out and fit into a color scheme.
I’ve learned that with the pandemic keeping me home with family, who attempts to silence and undermine my identity, the only thing that carries my identity in its whole is my body. Even though the gender dysphoria I experience is making it hard to accept the body that I have, I’ve learned to accept my trans identity along with my intersecting identities after years of coming out and internal fights with myself. Home is place I feel relaxed, a place that I don’t have to worry about being judged, and a place where how I present myself doesn’t have to be covered up or hidden. Knowing this, I realized that home isn’t a physical space for me, instead home is the energy I create around me. I’ve created a home in my body to be black and trans no matter where I am.
I’ve recently had top surgery and as a trans person, this is the biggest event in my life I worked towards for years. Creating this self portrait to depict how I feel about the theme “Home” left me feeling strong, proud, and empowered.
