ARTIST STATEMENT
AYD: From an Empty Cage to a World Stage is a meditation on the folly of the carceral system’s inhumane drive to remove people from society and throw away the key. Though global luminaries, such as Angela Davis, are extreme examples of how our world would be different and frankly, bereft, had the system had its way, she is a stand-in for countless thousands whose lives and potential to better the world have been hobbled by their inability to ever make it back home. Angela, fighter for Black rights, women’s rights, and human rights, survived an environment of hate and was a seed that, against all odds, was allowed to grow into a global leader and fierce example of resistance and resilience.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Senyah Haynes is a filmmaker, an author, and a visual artist. Two films (White Female, 2022 and Crimson, 2023) which she co-wrote and co-produced have won several awards. She has a children’s book series, Jayla’s Jaunts, several short stories published in anthologies, and her latest book, Chasing Away the Blues: A Gratitude Journal (2025) also features her cover art. This year she has exhibited in two group shows: Rephrasis En Noir, through the Oh Art Foundation, and The Power We Hold at Gallery 1701 @ CHICAT.
© Senyah Haynes