Introduction
I am a first generation Canadian, born in Fort McMurray and raised in Edmonton by Caribbean parents. After completing high school, I attended the University of Alberta Faculty of Augustana where I graduated with a B.A. in Sociology and a B.A in Visual Art in 2009. Since then, I have continued to do commission work and have been a priveleged participant in several art exhibits.
My Work
Influenced by artists like Glenn Ligon, Kerry James Marshall and Khinde
Wiley, my work explores how social conventions
have defined the term “black” and how these notions have influenced my
own concept of identity.
Essentially my work is three-pronged in its content, representing elements of black history, personal history, and art history. I choose to use found family photographs as it forces me to engage in a dialogue with something I feel estranged from. With the death of my ancestors, the stories of my heritage have faded from the foreground, leaving only glimpses into the past. By integrating these personal elements with traditionally iconic images, I am able to make my own experiences contextually relevant.