"You don't see me"

"You don't see me"

Woods, Kijah

This piece responds to the idea of the oppositional gaze, the act of looking back at systems that have historically objectified, erased, or distorted Black people. Rather than presenting this self-portrait as fully available to the viewer, I interrupt the gaze. The covered face denies easy access, resisting the expectation that my body must be legible, expressive, or emotionally transparent. My single visible eye becomes both witness and warning: I am aware of being watched, and I am watching back. There are stereotypes, expectations, and biases that are placed on black people, for this piece I am, in a way, protecting myself from this to be able to be who I am. Surrounding me are white eyes, floating and disembodied. They symbolize surveillance and the persistent pressure to perform under observation. This work is about reclaiming authorship over my image and resisting reduction

2026