Evidence is an ongoing series of mixed media paintings and performances. The series explores my long-time interest in the relationship between the moving body and the mediums of drawing and painting. I am particularly interested in how the liveness of the moving body can be captured in a painting.
The series is inspired by my experiences taking classes in dance studios where I would often leave oil smudges on the black marley floors. It explores the simultaneous pleasure and unbearability of being seen, particularly in predominantly white environments where the smudges quietly call attention to and archive my (Black) presence in the space.
I create these works by rolling my face across paper, focusing only on my own breath and the contact between my skin and the surface of the paper. The weight of my head guides the brown oily strokes and smudges made by a combination of mineral oil and makeup. Later, I use graphite, chalk, and erasers to give shape to the images that appear to me. The end result is a textured landscape made from a mixture of bodily matter and drawn details.