Artist: Marlena Wild Artist Bio: I create layered works based on my perspective of all that is, portrayed both physically and metaphorically to convey a poignant message that can be understood in stages by all: to show that all is a part of the whole—some parts known and others unknown. Neither is one without the other, for negative space is necessary to define any picture. I explore the concepts of light and dark, black and white, in relation to race, religion, and gender through several different perspectives, mediums, and dimensions. I address how our opinions and understandings of duality shape our worlds, while also giving a voice to my past, present, and future views as a Black artist raised within predominantly white religious spaces. Title: Shadow Medium: Charcoal and acrylic on paper Dimensions: 24 X 18 inches Price: $1100 Artist Statement: This is the shape I cast when I stopped running from myself. Once, I believed the darkness was separate—other—something to fight. But the boundary I needed wasn’t a wall, it was a mirror. In learning to say no, I met the yes that was buried deep within. The triangle figure wears the shadow like a cloak—no longer afraid. It becomes her halo, her grounding, her truth. Only when I stood still long enough to see it did I realize the shadow was mine—not to reject, but to reclaim. And in that quiet recognition, I found freedom.
