They Can’t Erase Us
They Can't Erase Us is an emotionally charged ongoing art series that confronts the historical erasure experienced by marginalized communities throughout history. It was inspired by the renewed attempts to erase trans and queer individuals from public life.
Employing a combination of synthography, subtle typeface, and glitch, the series seeks to encapsulate the unyielding resilience and strength of marginalized communities. Here glitch serves as a profound analogy, representing both the attempted erasure and the resilience of marginalized peoples. It also stands as a metaphor for seeing beauty where others perceive error.
Collectively, They Can't Erase Us stands as a defiant force against the outdated divide-and-conquer paradigm. Its purpose is to energize and empower those who strive to construct a better, more inclusive world. Through this art series, I hope to foster a sense of empowerment, unity, and determination among individuals dedicated to building a society that embraces and uplifts every voice. I want this to be visual fuel that powers the courage needed to tell the true stories that make up our histories so that we can create a better future together.
First 5 works are dropping exclusively on MakersPlace July 13, 2023. Each NFT comes with a 18 x 12 signed giclée print.
"Mother of Us All" delves into the profound theme of the attempted erasure of black people while emphasizing the importance of unity and protection within our shared humanity. The artwork centers around a poignant portrayal of a mother and son, their gazes unified and brimming with hope for a brighter future despite the forces in the system pulling them apart. At first glance, the glitched elements in the artwork draw immediate attention, particularly the RGB separation, serving as a visual representation of the three primary color channels: red, green, and blue. Symbolically, this separation stands as an analogy to the fundamental components of all pixels, just as our DNA traces back to Africa, the ancestral homeland of humanity. It serves as a powerful reminder that our interconnectedness is embedded within the very fabric of our existence. Standing up for black lives, is standing up for life itself.
Girls’ and women’s rights are under attack around the world — from withholding secondary education in Afghanistan to denying us autonomy over our own bodies in the United States. In this captivating artwork titled We Are Your Origin Story, the focus lies on a young Afghan girl immersed in the act of reading, symbolizing the power of knowledge and education as a catalyst for change. The vibrant colors used in the piece evoke a sense of hope and resilience, contrasting against the harsh realities that girls and women face globally. A glitch effect disrupts the depiction of the girl's mouth, intentionally obscuring it from view. This artistic choice serves as a metaphor, underscoring the silencing and double standards that women encounter in various contexts. It invites viewers to reflect on the countless instances where women's voices have been suppressed, their perspectives marginalized, and their fundamental rights denied. This work is a reminder that we will not be silent and our power cannot be erased. Our story is history.
Enduring Spirit shines a light on the erasure endured by Native women and indigenous communities while celebrating their unwavering strength and cultural heritage. The artwork centers around a young Native woman adorned in traditional attire, a powerful symbol of resilience and defiance. Enduring Spirit utilizes glitches as a metaphor for the attempted erasure of native women and indigenous peoples around the globe. It is also a metaphor for resistance, resilience, and enduring beauty. Faint type that reads THEY CAN’T ERASE US acts as a reminder from the ancestors and a call to action to allies to protect and honor the first peoples of the land they call home.
The Beauty that Still Remains captures the profound narrative of a Jewish father and his daughter, echoing the resilience and endurance of a people facing a history of attempted erasure. Inspired by a powerful passage from the diary of Anne Frank, the artwork stands as a testament to the indomitable spirit of Jewish heritage and culture. The Beauty that Still Remains invites viewers to reflect upon the enduring legacy of Jewish identity, celebrating its vibrant culture while acknowledging the shadows of attempted erasure. Through glitch art's disruptive aesthetic, the artwork challenges the viewer to confront the dark chapters of history, while inspiring hope for a future where diversity is cherished, and cultural resilience prevails.
Trans-cend Erasure confronts the persistent attempt to erase trans and queer individuals from public life. The central focus of the artwork is a striking image of a trans woman standing outside of a restroom. The glitch effects applied to the image distort and fragment her and the surrounding environment, symbolizing the ongoing struggles and obstacles faced by trans and queer people in asserting their identities and accessing public spaces. Trans-cend Erasure ultimately seeks to empower and celebrate the strength and resilience of the trans and queer communities. By boldly highlighting the attempted erasure from public life, the artwork aims to inspire conversations and actions that challenge and dismantle discriminatory systems that threaten our very existence and make us collectively and individually less safe.