Devin Cotton

Devin Cotton

Artist Statement

My work focuses on my various intersecting identities as they relate to the world around me, and how they coexist inside of me, with close attention to detail. With photography, I am able to magnify all of the vulnerabilities existing within myself that people do not see, by being the subject of each photograph, and only shooting in black and white. Frida Kahlo only created self portraits. She believed that she was the best choice as a subject for the work because she knows herself best and can execute what she wants. I know my gender, race, sexuality, etc, best and I also know that there is still more to discover, and I want to reach that intelligible realm and transcend beyond myself. I chose not to be the literal focus of my work for my ceramic’s pieces, but rather, the extensions of myself that captivates people's attention in a different way than my photos. I construct pieces that are inspired by womanism, black women, black culture, and other things such as futuristic objects. I know my art will continue to evolve because I continue to develop an inner peace and I will continue to try to truly understand who I am.