<span data-sheets-value=”{"1":2,"2":"My work explores and challenges toxic societal norms that infringe upon the rights and values of women and people of color. This is in the context of post colonial African nations where many borrowed and Western ideals have become the accepted norm and where culture; supposedly fluid, dynamic and subject to evolution, is treated as an inflexible standard. \r\n\r\nThe main focus of my work is in normalizing blackness; this is done by trying to establish what it really means to exist as a black African, without disregarding the many complexities and rigidity that comes with it.\r\n\r\nThe other focus of my work is in de-objectifying women’s bodies because, socially, culturally and traditionally, women of color do not own their bodies.\r\n\r\nMy body of work manifests in mixed media oil paintings and collages that have traces of fabric and used or ready to be discarded items like wrapping paper, old newspapers, cardboard and paper bags. The use of fabric symbolizes the foreign ideals that have been inculcated into our rigid culture while the use of ready to be discarded elements symbolizes the value, resilience and worth of women and humanity ,who exist as disposable entities in a system that was designed to devalue us."}” data-sheets-userformat=”{"2":29313,"3":{"1":0},"10":1,"12":0,"15":"Calibri","16":11,"17":0}”>My work explores and challenges toxic societal norms that infringe upon the rights and values of women and people of color. This is in the context of post-colonial African nations where many borrowed and Western ideals have become the accepted norm and where culture; supposedly fluid, dynamic and subject to evolution, is treated as an inflexible standard.</span>
The main focus of my work is in normalizing blackness; this is done by trying to establish what it really means to exist as a black African, without disregarding the many complexities and rigidity that comes with it.
The other focus of my work is in de-objectifying women’s bodies because, socially, culturally and traditionally, women of color do not own their bodies.
My body of work manifests in mixed media oil paintings and collages that have traces of fabric and used or ready to be discarded items like wrapping paper, old newspapers, cardboard, and paper bags. The use of fabric symbolizes the foreign ideals that have been inculcated into our rigid culture while the use of ready to be discarded elements symbolizes the value, resilience, and worth of women and humanity, who exist as disposable entities in a system that was designed to devalue us.