Hold me down, hold me down, throw me in the deep end, watch me drown

Collaged monotypes and graphite with handmade flowers on canvas paper

23x29in

Original created by Faith ♡

Title quote appropriated from "Hold Me Down" on BADLANDS album by Halsey, 2015. Part of my "For Society" series, this piece assesses the whitewashing of black women in today's society. We are culturally appropriated from and have been held back from reaching our full potential since the times of slavery. Once introduced to today's popular culture (e.g. the modeling and music industries), we witness many black women lightening their skin, wearing flattened hair down their backs, and being idolized by millions. They are thrown into this "deep end" of subliminal backlash due to race and color blindness and "drown" in today's predominately white society. Subsequently, young black girls are led to not feel fully accepted because they don't have fair skin and straight hair.