Your Ocean is on Fire

solo exhibition

may 3–june 30, 2024

artspace, raleigh, nc

“Your Ocean is on Fire” is a collection of portraits and letters addressed to “you”. “You” embodies individuals, ideas, and entities that have circled around my mind again and again. I use food, meridians, and zodiacs as silly yet meaningful symbols connected to “you”. Through this process, I reflect on objectification, ownership, and identity. As I navigate experiences I can’t catch up to, I look for solace and clarity in creating. As I exist in situations that can't provide me space, I attempted to create that space in these paintings. What I couldn’t say to “you”, I say here in these letters. In this work, I return to my discomfort with cycles of emotions, seasons, relationships, and stagnation.

This exhibition was partially funded by South Arts through the Individual Artist Career Opportunity Grant.

download statement and catalog

Photo by Danny Peña