I have always been fascinated by the way portraiture transforms the human figure. This fascination was the driving force behind this body of work. Historically, the subjects of portraiture have often been idealized, conforming to Eurocentric standards of beauty: blonde hair, blue eyes, perfect skin. At the start of this project, I found myself trying to mold my models into that ideal, as if that aesthetic were a prerequisite for artistic value.

Yet, it was once I let go of these beauty standards that this project, Ethereal, came together.

Who am I to view Blackness as less than? To view my people and myself as unworthy of being regarded as art. You see, W.E.B. Du Bois proclaimed that Black art is political, and as a Black photographer, I must do what my predecessors couldn't-to make Blackness normal in a fine art space.

There is a strength behind each of these portraits that cannot be ignored. Every image upon review spoke to me on a metaphysical level. Each person's image is both perfect and imperfect. They toe the line between ideal and human. I invite you to admire the finer details— the texture of the skin, the folds in the clothing, and the way the light shapes the figure.

Also, embrace the imperfections because what makes them human is what makes them Ethereal.