ARTIST STATEMENT
My work boldly states what a lot of artists wouldn’t dare express openly. This unapologetic approach incorporates a mixture of iconography, abstraction, figuration, and ubiquitous symbols to express my experiences, and attempt to reconfigure ideology in regards to racial disparities, social norms, and a tragic history that is often blurred. In my work there's vulnerability and apprehension, urgency and calm, purpose and purposelessness, disillusionment and enthusiasm, seriousness and irreverence, optimism and nihilism. These dichotomies are explored using photography, reconstructed objects, sculptures, and paintings. Aesthetically, my paintings symbolize commonality, and echo the tone of the grittiness of the city I call home. Layers of acrylics, buttery oils, spray paint, and colorful pastels add playful, finely detailed antagonistic critiques about the world around me, while offering viewers a glimpse of who I am. The result of which is often aggressively condescending art that mocks and berates disagreeable viewers in an effort to recondition their perspective through negative reinforcement. Much like the fictional Ludovico Technique, but with the panache of a parent pretending the spoon is an airplane while feeding their child.
Solo Exhibitions
‘Fried Bologna’, Mission In Arts, Philadelphia - 2024
Group Exhibitions
The Magic Number, Paradigm, Philadelphia - 2024
InLiquid Benefit24 auction, InLiquid, Philadelphia - 2024
Black History Month Showcase, Hyatt Centric, Philadelphia - 2024
Fitler Club, Mural Arts Exhibition, Philadelphia - 2023
Mural Arts Fellowship Exhibition at Paradigm, Philadelphia - 2023
America: With or Without You, Tyler / Temple Contemporary, Philadephia - 2022
Rush Arts, Mural Arts Fellowship Exhibition, Philadelphia - 2021
Alalimon Galeria. Barcelona, Spain - 2019
CLB Gallery. Berlin, Germany - 2019
Awards
Illuminate the Arts Grant - 2022
Mural Arts Philadelphia Fellowship For Black Artists - 2021
Philadelphia Cultural Fund Grant - 2020
Village Arts and Humanities Grant - 2020
Independent Photographer Magazine, Black and White - 2018
International Photography Awards, ‘Body’ & Portraiture - 2017
Instructing
Instructor for ‘Unapologetic Art Making’ class, Fleisher Art Memorial, Philadelphia Spring Semester 2022
Solo Exhibitions
Open Space Gallery, ’Magic Eye’ - Philadelphia - 2018
Performance Garage, ’WOOLVS’, - Philadelphia - 2017
Neighborhood House, ‘WOOLVS’ - Philadelphia - 2017
Glass Factory, ‘Satellites’ - Philadelphia - 2016
Meadowsweet, ‘Forbidden Fruit’ - Philadelphia - 2017