What do you want to convey to the rest of the world?
Myself essentially. My sense of self as I kind of navigate through different labels, different terms and different kind of events in everyday life as a black queer person. I’m always learning, I’m always growing and I’m always understanding new parts of myself that I didn’t before. Typically this is without the help of any kind of outside source, any media, any art because there’s not much about black queer people anywhere. I just feel that it’s important to see yourself represented, it’s important to have a voice when you are a marginalised person.
How do you determine success?
Many different things. At the moment I feel like success is just peace of mind, clarity in your direction, in where you’re going and what you’re doing and what you’re trying to portray and create. Success is also helping others, if I can make work that speaks to somebody else and really kind of guides them and helps them or just clicks with them. That’s success to me. Using your platform to shine a light on other people, if you enter a space that isn’t typically full of people like you; once you get on, once you make waves, pave the way for other people, help guide and mentor them. I feel like that’s success.
What do you find most inspiring about the art/ world right now?
To me one of the most inspiring things about the art world right now is how social media plays such a huge role in who is seen and who is hot right now. I think social media is kind of leading this wave of black queer artists, it allows for us to connect. Clearly because this exhibition was made via social media essentially. I think it’s such a great way for the art world to go, it kind of removes power from the bigwigs and allows those who typically don’t get seen and aren’t allowed in certain places, it allows them to reach higher heights I guess.
