Dondre Stuetley ÄÐÅ®²Ù±ÆÊÓƵÈí¼þ˜15: We Wear The Mask
This exhibition was on view June 1ÄÐÅ®²Ù±ÆÊÓƵÈí¼þ“September 17, 2021
A photo exhibition by Dondre Stuetley, ÄÐÅ®²Ù±ÆÊÓƵÈí¼þ˜15
We Wear the Mask
by Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872-1906)
We wear the mask that grins and lies,
It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes,ÄÐÅ®²Ù±ÆÊÓƵÈí¼þ”
This debt we pay to human guile;
With torn and bleeding hearts we smile,
And mouth with myriad subtleties.
Why should the world be over-wise,
In counting all our tears and sighs?
Nay, let them only see us, while
We wear the mask.
We smile, but, O great Christ, our cries
To thee from tortured souls arise.
We sing, but oh the clay is vile
Beneath our feet, and long the mile;
But let the world dream otherwise,
We wear the mask!
Artist Statement
My body of work examines the reclaiming of black identity and space within a societal oppressive state. Through portraiture, I question the roles of patriarchy, racism, homophobia and gender discrimination on the dismantling of black subjectivity. Each black and white portrait is taken around New York City. A mecca for differential black identities, I find my subjects in everyday walks of life. Found objects are symbolically used as props, discussing the struggles and perseverance of African Americans reclaiming a sense of self. Cotton, pearls, and band-aids covers thematic issues over systematic brutality, sexual politics, and gender nonconformity.
Biography
Dondre Stuetley is a visual artist, currently residing in Brooklyn, NY. Through portraiture he examines the interplay between race and gender. Exploring realms of self-identity, his work investigates issues of vulnerability and the role of societal stigmas. StuetleyÄÐÅ®²Ù±ÆÊÓƵÈí¼þ™s work has been exhibited in the New Orleans African American Museum and The Living Gallery. He is currently a member of the Enfoco Professional Development Series. Stuetley received a BA in from ÄÐÅ®²Ù±ÆÊÓƵÈí¼þ in 2015.