PROJECTS

Things I’ve Been Called or Been Accused of...
March 27- April 2, 2023

This project is an attempt to transmute old shame by confronting harmful words that were spoken to me in the past and sharing them with an unsuspecting audience. Each day for seven days I am posting one image from the series on my Instagram feed and in my IG Stories.

The images I created consist of graphic text of the aforementioned harmful words, that are then laid over photographic images of me as a child. I am interested in the tension and interplay between the words and images. Also, the typeface used has to match the energy of the piece. Although these are my experiences, I am hoping they strike a universal chord with anyone who can identify with the shame of being falsely labeled or accused and having other people’s projections and harmful intent inform the way they see themselves.

In creating a couple of the images, I found the conflation of the three elements so absurd, (at the same time, perfectly fitting) that they made me laugh out loud. This has not been a tormented effort, on the contrary; it’s been exhilarating to feel it all come together. I also take it as a sure sign that I am healing old wounds.

Prior to launching this project, I had been in relative hiding for years and had a lot of fear around being seen, feeling safe and sharing my work. There were legitimate reasons for this: I was diagnosed with Complex PTSD, I was grieving the loss of my father and parsing out the complexities of that relationship and, I made a decision to part ways with my immediate family. When the idea for this project popped into my head, I knew I was finally ready to emerge and share myself vulnerably. As I write this, I am in day three of the launch and so far, what I am somatically sure of, is that dropping these images like bombs on social media, feels like I am cold plunging my way out of shame. 

Since I was young, all I’ve ever wanted is to know who I am and why I’m here. I have been a seeker for as long as I can remember. What I have realized of late is that my inner work is my life’s work and there’s a beauty and artistry to that that I can call my own.