The Black Experience by Lynthia Edwards

American artist, Lynthia Edwards, is a well known collagist who continues to tell emotive stories about Black girlhood experience in the deep American South. This series, in particular, is an ode to the perseverance and hope of Black girls who lived that experience.

Each figure is a version of Lynthia, navigating the tension of being Black, creative, and female in spaces that rarely celebrate those identities, back then and even till today. The black and white stripes in the girls’ skirts bring to the fore the conflict they constantly face. But notice that their bold skirts hint at playfulness beneath restraint - a sure sign of hope.

Explore the series below.