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Aphroditrist is a term I created to reflect the dualities within my neocuoltural Afro-Filipina identity. The “pH” gestures toward the Philippines, a nation whose very name—derived from King Philip II—speaks to its colonized history and the cultural systems left in its wake. “Afro,” phonetically embedded within the title, points to my Ghanaian heritage and the centrality of hair in Black identity, memory, and resistance.
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My work begins with my body—physically, spiritually, and historically. It’s the first archive I turn to when navigating my identity as an Afro-Filipina. Living in a transcultural body, I often experience a dissonance between inherited narratives and the spaces I move through. My practice explores this disconnect and the quiet urgency to piece together what was lost, misplaced, or misinterpreted.
I work primarily in ceramics and performance, both guided by a background in dance. Movement becomes a language I return to; tactile, instinctual, and grounded in the concept of remembrance. It allows me to embody narrative in ways that words often mislabel. Through raw texture and imperfection I reclaim my presence. My work lives in this tension between these intersecting identities, mimicking tradition while mocking the systems that define it. My work negotiates what it means to carry legacy: to both uphold tradition and give myself permission to recontextualize it.
CERAMICS
Tangled Roots | Weeping Willow, 2023 Ceramic, 18”12”24”
The ceramic self-portrait Weeping Willow | Tangled Roots is a deeply personal and evocative exploration of my identity, heritage, and the complexities of growing up multiracial. I deliberately choose to use rough textures on the surface to convey the ambiguity and fluidity of my self perception, prioritizing the essence of movement and its ability to persuade the mood. Through the use of motion, I highlights the complexities and nuances of identity, illustrating the impact of experience in shaping who we become. The tension between internal identity and societal perception is expressed through the rawness of the form. Hair is used as a recurring theme in the artist’s work, symbolizing the struggles she faced as a child learning to care for it on her own. This motif deepens the connection to nature, with hair representing both heritage and confidence. The artist’s affinity for natural materials imbues her work with greater significance, drawing connections between the forward growth of identity and the retrospective complexities of cultural identity. Tangled Roots dissects the challenges the artist faced in uncovering her heritage, navigating a world that feels disconnected from the environment and traditions of her predecessors. Through this exploration, the artist portrays the difficulties of reconciling her modern-day experiences with the inherited knowledge of those who came before her.
Sketch 1, 2023
Ceramic, 6” x 4” x 12”
PERFORMANCE
"One Night Stand" 2021
"Monument to Anger" 2024
"Trapped in Thought"
2025
Leave it Under the Table
"History Forgers the Moderates." -Andrew bird Answering questions and starting problems as I go Thinking a little bit about what’s everything left to know I’m right there on the cusp The glass is tipping out After supper I was full But my mind is empty now My relationship to space And to where I don’t exist Broken promises for a fulfilling future Is the grandfathers perpetuation of the past Punction cannot simply end this sentence with a period That of time Wraps itself writhing itself once again The blanket we are all fucked in But hey sweet talk me more about all you can do for us
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