A.Y. Johnson

Ode to she

Mixed media painting

“A mixed media work that contrasts the fragility and strong impression of the black woman in African cultures. The figure is shown donning metal ringed necklaces- a symbolic representation of wealth and beauty, as well as an aid to ward off evil spirits, gold earrings, and gold drips from her being. However, she is shrouded and surrounded by chaos that cannot easily be separated from her. The painful reality of the weight of the gold she bears.”