In this piece I chose to make a mustache out of grass where I also had my bandmate Dave - a white man - be the model using movement. My face is the canvas of this piece.
The purpose of this piece is to bring light to black spaces and narratives that are being overly consumed or erased by the white narrative and gaze.
I think we talk about gentrification in only literal terms like the removal of a people - and this is true - but in this piece it’s deeper than that - its when home (your body, your voice) isn’t home anymore. What I can consider home can be anything and I wanted to show my home - my body - being occupied by a white narrative that has no place there and the unfortunate inability to do or say anything and just act like it’s fine - hence the blue bright sky’s in the eyes.
It’s understandable for us (the oppressed) to be silent to keep peace, but sometimes you have to be LOUD and fight even if it feels like the efforts are futile. They are not.
In addition the song is used to create the tone of regret and illusion. A world where you are told if you follow the rules you will be fine...a world full of lies you only find out when hit adulthood.
Ps. I tend to use my body face etc as the canvas to show how beautiful black bodies are.
Music = "Toxic+" by Ed Balloon
