Sydney Kay - Fine Art

Find a piece interesting, but want to learn more about it?

Feel free to send a question on the Contact Me page to learn more.

Don't Touch Me

"Don’t Touch Me" is an expansion of a previous project called Delicate which was based on combating the dangerous stereotype that Black women are strong and independent. Such stereotypes can lead to assumptions that make people think that Black women do not need help and cannot ask for help when needed. Other assumptions include that Black women can handle more pain than other races, both physically and emotionally. So, while Black women are often pushed into that ideal that they are strong and independent, it is not the end of the spectrum of what Black women are. They are kind, caring, nurturing, and can be gentle as well. "Don’t Touch Me" pushes this idea further to talk about Black Women’s fight to keep control of their right to consent. The right to say no and how to say to no has always been a struggle for Black Women. Ranging from reframing questions and statements to having to say no multiple times in a polite manner so you don’t come off as too aggressive. This work will be a collection of mixed media that people want to touch, but cannot, to show this struggle. By making artwork with different textures of items included, like sandpaper or flocking. The idea is to show the viewer how Black Women are viewed as objects most times, but aren’t. They are just people at the end of the day, just like them.

Don't and Touch Me

Journey

Creative

Auntie T

Roaming Biscuit

More Than My Art

Nikki

Donuts Eats Iceburgs

A triptych, "Donuts Eats Iceburgs". The name is anagram for Diversity Equity Inclusivity (DEI) Programs. Meant to critique current day DEI programs and how affective they can be. The first piece "How it was" focused on how companies and organizations where they did not focus on having any inclusivity that often kept people of color (POC) and LGBT+ people out. The second piece "How they are handling it" focuses on current day handling of DEI programs. Where they on paper more LGBT+ and POC people are getting into these companies but often are only inclusive in specific times, like Juneteenth and Pride Month. Leading to the last piece " How it should be" where DEI programs are being focused adapting to the current needs. This is pushed by the method of media. The first is a simple computer print on copy paper, second is a 4 color risograph, and the third is a 3-screen print with a rainbow layer. The first is the easiest to mass produce and the last is the hardest and that is the point.

How it was, How they are Handling it, How it should be

Delicate

“Delicate” is meant to show soft side of black women. That black women aren’t just strong and independent. Such stereotypes can lead to assumptions that make people think that Black women do not need help and cannot ask for help when needed. Other assumptions include that black women can handle more pain than other races, both physically and emotionally. So, while Black women are often pushed into that ideal that they are strong and independent, it is not the end of the spectrum of what Black women are. They are kind,
caring, nurturing, and can be gentle as well.

Delicate Vol 1.

Delicate Vol 2.

Delicate Vol 4.

Don't Skip Me

“Don’t Skip Me" is a series of portraits where the figure is cutout and all that was left is the clothes. Focusing on the clothes lends to the idea where the sole point of advertising is to “sell the product”. Where is it talks about the idea of the perfect model in the advertising world. Showing how consumer’s idea of the perfect model changes with the times and lends to moving advertisers to change their tactics and the consumer’s role in the advertising world. Using photographs and also other alternative materials/processes to bring focus to the garments. Like screen-printing, bookmaking, enameling and video where I will focus on creating fake campaigns to further push the idea of “selling the product” in different ways.