MEET HER. SHE IS ME. I AM HER. This is a zine that is a start point to my thesis work. It is a representation of black women aesthetics like their hair and nail designs. My inquiry has been Inspired by my previous prompt “The Strong Black Woman”, as well as a representation of myself, being a black woman.
Nya Lewis’ hybrid practice is a culmination of centuries of African resistance, love, questions, actions, study and embrace rooted in the theorization of the conditions of Black cultural production.
She is also a graphic designer, she studied at OCAD U, and from Toronto. (LIKE ME)
Nov 24,2022: Nya Lewis was invited as a guest speaker at Emily Carr to talk about her recent works, including graphic design and exhibition design. During her presentation Nya states a comment that still sits with me and is something that I need to work on as a designer.
Her statement: "instead of wanting to PROVE, just keep designing" THEN THERE'S ME: who is on a roller coaster ride of wanting to prove!!!
MY PROMT:
I wanted my prompt to be editorial and aesthetically pleasing. I WANTED TO BE EXTRA WITH IT. I wanted to play with typography nad imagery in my composition.
The zine’s concept was to experiment with imagery and typography. I didn’t want a lot of body text, but rather a flip book with enough subject matter.
Wear these ghetto ass nails like I’m Flo Jo
Biased beauty standards never stopped Florence Griffith Joyner from becoming the fastest woman in the world, running the 100-meter race in 10.49 sec—a record that still stands today—while rocking her trademark long, colourful nails. Flo-Jo’s look was a wink at outdated stereotypes about Black culture, the same culture that was once vilified, but is now so often appropriated.
Acrylic nails became a part of my identity, just as Flo-Jo’s did. Every nail appointment provided a new opportunity for me to express my creativity and honour my younger self, who’d been too afraid of perpetuating the ghetto stereotype prescribed to Black women who were too fabulous for stale, basic naysayers to understand.
Cardi B has been criticized by the media due to her long and very pointy nails. Many were considered about how she changed her child diaper or do other things.
I don’t wear my stiletto or coffin acrylic nails as an act of rebellion, but as a reminder that Black women are the moment and will forever be the moment.
PROCESS WORK!!!
