In everything I do, I endeavor to find moments for fun, curiosity, and imagination. I find joy in exploring the unusual in the mundane. To me, this often appears when examining governing conventions (of art, academia, society, and culture) that no one has bothered to explain with clarity. In order to begin imagining worlds otherwise, we must first understand the ideas that underpin this one, as well as where they come from. To that end, my overarching project could be said to be epistemological, but I prefer to emphasize its two key nodes of plurality and possibility. In all things, my objective is to seek out understanding through humanities-centered approaches to art and culture, allowing for the radical consideration of meaning beyond our current perception.
In terms of topics of research, I often explore Black & Caribbean diasporic art, modern and contemporary art & photography, and issues of temporality in art and culture. I am also particularly fascinated by hauntings, myth and folktales, and the unexplained, (as well as subjects that cannot be verified by traditional historiographic methodologies). My master's thesis research focused on temporality and its relationship to diaspora. I am currently interested in developing my art criticism and creative writing practice but I look forward to beginning my PhD studies in art history this September.
My curatorial practice is heavily influenced by my experience as a third culture kid (TCK). Only recently have I begun to use this language to describe my positionality, as “diasporic” or “first-” and “second-generation immigrant” do not seem to capture the nuances and layers that constitute my lived existence. The term “third culture kid” refers to individuals who grow up amid the intersection of at least three different cultural spheres or registers. Our nationality differs from that of our parents’, as well as the nation(s)/culture(s) we are raised in. It’s an identity of contradictions, as TCKs can easily integrate into new cultures but struggle to find belonging in any one context.
Previously my research has privileged diasporic perspectives, as seen in my master’s thesis research on diasporic temporality. The shift towards TCK narratives results from an attention to generational (or socio-temporal) differences within diasporic communities, which have yet to garner much attention in art academic/curatorial spheres. Thematically, I am concerned with memory, dislocation, and temporality; however, my approach to these topics lies in the unique way third culture kids contend with feelings of cultural disconnect, cultural amnesia, or general placelessness in a world now more connected than ever.
Due to globalization, TCKs are becoming increasingly common, yet there are few examples of exhibitions (and arts-related scholarship) which explicitly identify TCK perspectives and fewer theoretical frameworks that elaborate the effects of this repeated re-culturalization. While diasporic perspectives emphasize a common understanding of a shared cultural background, TCK experiences are frequently very individual, resulting from the agglomeration of multiple cultural inputs. I believe the generative potential of such a perspective—in all its political, linguistic, socio-cultural, temporal, and artistic registers—can help elaborate on the formation of contemporary globalized identities.