PHOTO PROJECT GALLERY
I traveled to Johannesburg, South Africa in November 2016 to present on a photography panel at the Black Portraiture[s] III Conference with my mentors, esteemed artists Marilyn Nance and Valerie Maynard. Through the lens of Marilyn’s work at Festac ’77, a legendary cultural event in Nigeria that convened thousands of Black artists from around the diaspora, we discussed the importance of Black artists in preserving and sustaining archives of Black artwork, the critical role of mentorship in Black arts communities, and the personal impact of our intergenerational legacy building. After the conference, we spent a month exploring South Africa and meeting local artists, musicians, historians, and artisans. It was the trip of a lifetime.
