CANON

This series of photos reimagines foundational biblical scenes through black embodiment to challenge the history of whitewashed religious imagery. By centering Black bodies in narratives that shaped Western ideas of divinity, purity, and power, the series confronts who has been permitted to see themselves as sacred and who has been excluded. I reimagined the works Pieta, The Annunciation, the Baptism of Christ, Madonna and Child, the Crown of Thorns, and the Descent from the Cross using myself, my mother, and my younger brothers as subjects to challenge the long tradition of depicting holiness through whiteness. The purpose of working with a 4x5 camera and dramatic lighting was to draw directly from Renaissance painting, sculpture, and Christian iconography to build a counter canon that honors Black presence.