The Divine Feminine (2023)

Life's complexity lies in the human experience—shaped by gender, religion, politics, love, trauma, and identity. This work explores the symbols of masculinity and femininity throughout history, challenging gender stereotypes by showcasing both the nurturing and fierce aspects of the feminine.

Created over three years, the pieces in this series reflects on my evolving feminine identity and personal experiences - each piece tied to specific emotions or moments intersecting socially, politically, or religiously with my femininity.

This body of work has two main parts consisting of a series of relief prints and a series of oil paintings. The prints in this body of work focus on symbols of the masculine and feminine through a religious and historical lens. This is specifically shown through contrasting imagery - the sun and the moon, a dagger and a flower, a two-sided candle. Each piece seeks to dismantle and reflect on the ways in which femininity has been defined throughout history and within art itself. In contrast, the oil paintings highlight specific stories of female rage and power through portraiture. One painting portrays Judith, a woman who murdered a man to save her people. Another includes Marguerite, a woman who brought her abuser to justice and won back her family and home. Finally, we see Lilith, the first woman created in the Bible, and the woman who gained incredible power by refusing to submit to man. These works ask questions regarding femininity: Why do some individuals see femininity as weak or soft?, How have religious interpretations of femininity hurt individuals?, Why do powerful women terrify the world?, How is feminine energy perhaps stronger than the masculine?

This series plays with the duality of masculine and feminine, emphasizing both their equal importance and differing perceptions. Furthermore, this series of work specifically focuses on the often-warranted “female-rage” within the divine feminine and the potential beauty of said emotions.