Artist Statement
Painting, to me, is a holographic medium—an ever-shifting space where my images come alive only when the viewer steps in, completing the story. My work explores the essence of Black manhood, rooted in my experiences growing up in Jamaica amid economic hardship. I paint narratives of hope and resilience, weaving existential, Judeo-Christian, and speculative-fiction themes into scenes that invite self-reflection.
This focus on the Black male body arises from my commitment to portraying fatherhood, sonhood, and the complex realities of Black existence. Inspired by comic books rather than formal art classes, I transformed limitations into possibilities, using each brushstroke to reimagine and transcend the struggles I’ve known. My “Divers” series illustrates how imagination can free us, acting as a gateway to possibility. Through this series, I invite viewers into that imaginative space, activating the work and making it truly breathe.
Traditional two-dimensional painting fuses with aluminum, chalk, and wood in my pieces. Aluminum, in particular, serves as both literal and metaphorical mirror, reflecting Jamaica’s economic struggles while drawing viewers into a dynamic, ever-evolving relationship with the artwork. Influenced by the Bible and by writers such as Ralph Ellison and Frantz Fanon, I delve into Black existentialism, speculative fiction, Afrofuturism, and Christian philosophies, illuminating themes of identity and perseverance.
Ultimately, I aim to spark hope and ignite the viewer’s imagination—because where imagination flourishes, true freedom begins.