The Ancestral Practice of Pleasure II

29.75 x 22.25

Collage with Linoleum Block and Screenprint Elements on Cotton Rag Paper

2024

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Human beings have been exploring their bodies since the beginning of time. The moment we discovered the capacity for self-pleasure, I’m certain it became a natural part of our experience. This series is a bold and unapologetic celebration of female pleasure. We live in a world where female pleasure has often been obscured, misrepresented, over-simplified, demonized, or even criminalized. The patriarchal, colonial view of femme bodies narrows the narrative, leaving little room for depictions of empowered women who confidently satisfy their own desires and embrace masturbation. Self pleasure is a source of empowerment.

It has taken me many years to unlearn the shame and stigma associated with knowing and loving my own body. In this series, I wanted to celebrate the full, juicy expression of pleasure and honor the deep self-love required to express.