Selena Jackson | D U A L I T Y
artist talk
Thursday, May 18, 6:30- 8pm
reception following
Firehouse Gallery at Red Dirt
D U A L I T Y
Double consciousness is the internal conflict experienced by subordinated or colonized groups in an oppressive society. The term and the idea were first published in W. E. B. Du Bois's autoethnographic work, The Souls of Black Folk in 1903, in which he described the African American experience of double consciousness, including his own.
Originally, double consciousness was specifically the psychological challenge African Americans experienced of "always looking at one's self through the eyes" of a racist white society and "measuring oneself by the means of a nation that looked back in contempt". The term also referred to Du Bois's experiences of reconciling his African heritage with an upbringing in a European-dominated society.
“DUALITY” is a project birthed from the question of, “What would I look like if I complied?”. Complied in this context means to assimilate. I was at the beginning of my journey to understand what radical self love meant; by this time my loc journey had also begun. Locking my hair signified to me an absolute departure from the philosophies of Eurocentric beauty standards and decolonizing my gaze. Throughout the process, I developed a curiosity about what I would look like if I did adhere to the norm: lighter skin, light hair, rosy lips. I dawned a blond wig, painted my face with foundation two shades too light, and applied pink lipstick to my lips and cheeks. It was a sobering moment between me and the person in the mirror. What I saw was me but not me, a superimposed idea of me. I began this project to explore this inner dialogue.
Artist Statement/Bio
Art is the act of self-proclamation. The desire to create is deeply ingrained in human nature. This sense of autonomy and self-actualization has allowed a select few to understand their own individuality. Still, people of the African diaspora weren’t privileged with the ability to control and define themselves. Understanding this, Selena began exploring tropes and the representation of people of the African diaspora through oil portraits. Even though there have been many challenges to the status quo through media, aesthetics, and accessibility, specific demographics have often been left out. The pursuit of understanding the origin of the Western biases of aestheticism, lead her to understand the emergence of Racial Science during the Enlightenment era. Holding true to her craft, she works with the traditional materials of the old masters, allowing for her work to become more than just paintings but visual essays.
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Selena “Noir” Jackson, born and raised in Washington DC, attended Montgomery College School of Art where she earned her A.F.A. in Studio Arts and is an active alum of the Sitar Arts Center. Noir remains active in her community as an art educator. She finds passion in bridging the gap between class and art for DC youth through the emphasis on activism, individualism, and the creation of antiracist spaces.