In 2024, I published my senior thesis, "Afro-Absurdism: How Afro-Existentialist Art Redefines Reality." After researching and coining the phenomenon of Afro-Absurdism, I conducted a multimedia project on the topic.
"By encouraging society to reevaluate structures that may be arbitrary, harmful, and exclusive, Afro-absurdists gain the power to deconstruct canons, redefine values, and rebuild a world that includes Black perspectives."
- Afro-Absurdism As Rebellion (2024)
By hand, I painted clown themed, absurdist makeup onto my model & my face.
After planning makeup looks and shooting my concept, I used Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, & Lightroom to design 12 pages for Volume II of Xpressions Magazine.
Before executing the makeup looks above, I sketched out the looks using Procreate on the iPad.
For Xpressions Magazine's End of Year Celebration of Black Fashion, I designed and sewed Afro-Absurdist outfits using locally thrifted and recycled fabrics, alongside African print fabrics sourced African designers.
More sketches of Afro-Absurdist fashion designs, drawn in Procreate on the iPad.
I utilized the following slide deck to defend my senior thesis.
Exploring the European & Black origins of existentialist philosophy & absurdism. Explores Octavia Butler, Kevin Strait, Ralph Ellison, Amiri Baraka, W.E.B. Du Bois, & Franz Fanon.
Discussions with Kathryn Desplanque, Boots Riley, Chelle Barbour, & Jordan Robinson.
Coining Afro-Absurdism, real world applications in art, and future research.
Fashion designers & brands like Moschino, Charles de Vilmorin, & Claire Barreu. A moodboard of visuals make up looks from Doechii, Everthing Everywhere All at Once, and Tierra Whack. Artistic inspirations included Kehinde Wiley, Sun-Ra, Devan Shinoyama, & Ruth Carter.
