Eleisha Faith & Tonisha Hope McCorkle

 

FAITH (left) and HOPE (right), photo by Kolpeace.

 

D.C. born, Hyattsville MD. raised twins Eleisha Faith & Tonisha Hope McCorkle (b. 1999) hold BFA’s from New York University in Studio Art. Formerly enrolled in the Visual and Performing Arts program at the Jim Henson School of Arts, Media, and Communication, the two have been cooking and curating, studying, and creating art since they were 7 years old. At 17, the twins lost their mother to the rare lung condition of Sarcoidosis. Since then, the two have used their art as a space of healing, creating immersive experiences that engage with loss, grief, and identity, coming together to form an interdisciplinary collaborative. Their work speaks to their profound relationship as twins, conceptualizing their endured shared experiences, yet different perspectives.

Through vibrant hues, Black ritual, and spiritual imagery, Hope & Faith collaborate utilizing storytelling and collage to conflate the ideas of reconstruction and resilience within the Black experience. Their work serves as testaments to healing by example, honoring the Black mother, spirit, food, and childlike wonder in the stories told through their scrolls, films, installations, and other creations. Materials are broken down and rebuilt to reinforce the journey toward completion, emphasizing the colorful, multidimensional layers of the inner and outer worlds they inhabit as Black indigenous creators. The lightworkers actively channel collective consciousness within their practice, traveling various dimensions and connecting 2D, 3D, and 4D elements to birth and piece together a new understanding of experience, one that is affirming, uplifting, and powerfull. They further elevate their work with immersive, interactive exhibitions and community programming, focusing on building community through workshops, discussions, and teaching the youth. What they create isn't just work, nor is it art. It is the manifestation of hope and faith.

Visionary Art Collective, PGCTV News, VoyageBaltimore, and the DC Public Library have recognized the pair's work. They have been the recipients of a DC CAH Art Bank Grant, a Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship, an MSAC Creativity Grant, and a 2024 Andy Warhol Foundation’s Grit Fund Grant and have work permanently installed at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library in D.C. They are currently expanding their practices individually and collectively as artists-in-residence at Creative Alliance in Baltimore, Maryland.