The Land of Symptōma (symptoms) - Original

The Land of Symptōma (symptoms) original is a mixed media collage. She is part of the Novel Bodies, Novel Landscapes and the Cancer Care series. Receiving a cancer diagnosis as a Black woman is deeply political. We must adapt to living with a chronic illness while existing within a broader society that sees us as "other" and "less than." We seek care from systems and structures that have historically harmed us and are often designed to do so again. The original is a mixed media collage.

Novel Bodies, Novel Landscapes reimagines Black women beyond the confines of history, expectation and erasure. Rooted in Afrofuturism, Novel Bodies, Novel Landscapes is a series of works that center Black women in a safe futuristic world. Through my work, I place us firmly within landscapes of power, beauty and infinite possibility.

In these imagined worlds, Black women roam freely unburdened by imposed ideals of femininity and perfection. Their forms, informed by “imperfect” bodies, exist unapologetically within surreal environments. The figures in this series are not merely subjects; they are leaders, visionaries and revolutionaries. Each woman plays a vital role in her community, whether as a healer, guide or protector.

Title: The Land of Symptōma (2026)

Dimensions: 5.75 x 9.75 in.

Medium: Mixed media on paper.