The Big Chop Collage

My subject matters and their experiences are what inspire my work. This piece in particular is meant to pay homage to the model (Jada)'s commitment to the "big chop", which is an act of separating from one's hair in the natural hair community. There can be emotional and spiritual motivations to do this, which I find inspirational in a society where a woman's beauty is often associated with the length of their hair. This piece was an exploration of using different materials to create a sense of depth, as seen in the background. I originally intended for this to be only in oil, but found that this medium didn't satisfy me with how I wanted to portray Jada in her essence and being. The background represents the "noise" of social expectations that "swirl" and surround especially black women to appear a certain way. Jada represents confidence and acceptance in who she is and how she chooses to present herself to the others and the world.