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