ARTIST STATEMENT
My early visuals of race and beauty were shaped by interactions in white spaces, mainstream media, and family. Those interactions influenced the way I viewed myself and other African Americans, which led me to investigate the way my identity has been imagined and shaped by societal interpretations. Having one’s identity discounted and regulated has placed my experience on the periphery of the larger conversation of Blackness. I strive to create critically engaging images that cannot be ignored. My work strives to dismantle society’s authority over the vision of the Black female.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
My art practice examines our perceptions of beauty. Stereotypes and myths are challenged in my work; I create a dialogue between the ideas of assimilation, colorism, and consumerism by addressing America’s beauty standards created by white supremacy. My work challenges this standard—making room for all black women, regardless of skin tone. By utilizing color, objects, and performance, I make photographs of my experience creating my identity in white spaces. I use myself as the subject to challenge the mainstream assumptions of a Black woman. In my work, I regain power by turning camera on myself.
© Krystal Boney