Reassemble 2020

Editor: Here we have Kayla Mahaffey's 2020 acrylic on canvas, "Reassemble." The pixelated treatment of the figure's face is initially jarring but also intriguing. It feels like a commentary on identity. What do you see in this piece? Curator: It's a potent visual statement. Mahaffey's use of pixilation disrupts conventional portraiture. The racial identity of the figure seems intentionally obscured or, at least, filtered through a technological lens. Consider how digital interfaces mediate our self-perception and social interactions, especially for young Black individuals. How might this abstraction relate to societal expectations, surveillance, and the performance of identity online? Editor: So, it's not just about the digital world, but also about real-world pressures and expectations? Curator: Exactly. The pixelation also creates a visual barrier. Whose gaze is doing the obscuring? Is it self-imposed, a form of protection? Or is it imposed by external forces, reflecting biased algorithms and the historical erasure of Black experiences? This prompts us to consider how visual culture can both empower and oppress. What does the title, "Reassemble," suggest in relation to these fragmented representations? Editor: That maybe the work is asking the viewer to put these fragments together? To think critically? Curator: Precisely. The pop-surrealist elements complicate a straightforward reading. But in those very unexpected elements there are further meanings. Mahaffey’s art demands intersectional analysis. What began as potentially oppressive aesthetics soon gives the means to discuss identity with far more intention than traditional styles may have offered. Editor: I see it now. It’s a conversation starter, prompting dialogue about visibility, technology, and identity. Thanks! Curator: It's been my pleasure. It highlights how art serves as an important tool for navigating complex issues within society.