Description
OPENING EVENT: Friday, June 4, 2021 | 5 – 8 PM during first Friday
“Don’t wait until I am dead, to give me my flowers.”
Through a series of images, artist Shakira Hunt presents “masculinity” through many different lenses. Give Me My Flowers challenges the stereotyped idea of masculinity, how it is perceived as being void of emotional sensitivity and vulnerability, and how it is often displayed through a tough exterior. This series embodies creative storytelling, bold and intentional imagery, and subtle connections to create a relatable experience that recognizes and honors black and afro indigenous men, both straight and individuals of the LGBTQ+ community.
Hunt’s directorial approach to photography by using community members as models is rich in content and symbolism. She employs unique staging techniques such as crumbled seamless paper to draw together her concepts and compositions. A backdrop might add a layer of texture reminiscent of the tough exterior men typically embody; or, a plot of land, very raw and unfinished – under construction. In contrast with feminine movements and energy, the artist presents her subjects in manners that speak to their individual experience and identity. A variety of florals play throughout the series to create a juxtaposition. A simplistic background, with fabrics and soft movements from the subjects, highlights the feminine side of the male and celebrates, not shames, that duality that exists within us all. Each image honors masculinity and the divine feminine as it exists within.
Give Me My Flowers developed organically as did the artist’s connection to her motivations. Through this project, Hunt recognized that her interest in black men and the exploration of masculinity, femininity, and the connection to emotional intelligence was tied to the relationship she shared with her father. Her greater awareness of emotional void, as evidenced in partnership with a cathartic artistic experience, drove her commitment to pursuing the project more intensely.
Shakira Hunt has a background in design, and she draws inspiration from the exploration of new cities, places, nature, textures, and colors that connect her with fellow creatives and communities. Hunt enjoys engaging with local artists and creative entities to thrive, build, and connect, with an emphasis on creating economic sustainability throughout the black entrepreneurial landscape of Wilmington.
E. Avery Draper Gallery & Constance S. & Robert J. Hennessy Project Space
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