These collages are unambitious, like me.

I find abstraction to be a window into a free person’s mind​. I believe an abstract artist isn’t unnerved by looking or making a “mess”; they welcome the sometimes unhinged, disjointed, hard-to-follow, and surprisingly clear path their minds take them with curiosity and, for some, confidence. ​

​Black people often find the need to be the best, the most excellent, the most put together; an exercise in building a prison of perfection that leaves little room for naturally nebulous visuals and the inevitability of meandering thoughts. There is a freedom in recognizing that your hair, face, weight, salary, home, and relationships can never be perfect, and I want to teach my child this. I want her to be free.

These collages were created from finger-painting samples made by my 4-year-old. I cut them and glued them into formations that I envisioned throughout 2024. These collages represent a galaxy in the afrofuture, where capitalism isn’t what saves us; rather, it may be pleasure and vulnerability. In these small collages, I attempt to embody a deviation into the abstract towards these characteristics, a departure from perfection, or even a recognizable form. 

Here, continue to experiment with the idea that play could help counter the pressure to be exceptional.