My senior thesis project, “Yesteryear,” focuses on the past of the Black American family. Largely underrepresented in American popular culture over the decades, I wanted to express my culture through homemade photographs that I compiled throughout many years. 

Dating back to as late as the 1940s, these photos encapsulate many domestic activities such as celebrations and leisurely games, further adding to the aspect of time and family. 

Thinking about historical events, we tend to forget that real people lived and experienced these events, shaping the present world that we’ve come to know. 

As a film major, I am heavily inspired by the art of the photograph and the nostalgia that a printed photo brings. During my process, I pay close attention to lighting and the placement of items within these microcosms I create and capture. 

By using found objects, I’m able to create still-life photographs that completely skew the lens of memory. 

A family photograph and my still-life images are placed side-by-side to show the connection between the past and the present. This is presented through dipthychs.

Through “Yesteryear” in particular, I feel I can connect to the past and gain confidence about how to navigate through life, just as my relatives did. 

For me, art is about the freedom to explore things that I otherwise might not think about in daily life, investigating it and discovering more as I create.