The Sanctuary of Identities: a place of healing [SLIDESHOW]

SLIDESHOW: The Sanctuary of Identities

Statement from the artist:

Articles and books have been written about the progress, or the lack of progress, made in communities of color. In these writings, I feel extremely objectified.  All of the terms used to describe us are abstract. However, for me, my family and I are not mere statistics to be listed off–we are human beings.  How can I address these same issues in a way that makes me feel like a human being?  Well, human beings pro-create–we fuck.  If it were up to me, I would use sex as my language, and if we want to begin to talk about power dynamics in terms of race, class, and gender in the United States of America, then introducing BDSM is quintessential to the conversation.  BDSM is a dance between trust and respect–if we were to dive deeper into role playing and fetishes, then to me it becomes about having the choice to give one’s power to another person by submitting to a role. This is a safer way to begin a conversation about the progress or lack thereof made in the communities that I am a part of because it gives me the power to choose what roles I am willing and unwilling to submit to.  Given this power of choice is the only way I can respectfully enter a conversation.