I Got It From My Mama integrates conventions of oil portraiture with contemporary cultural symbolism to critique the societal gaze placed upon Black adornment. Historically, jewelry in Western art signified wealth, lineage, and prestige. In contrast, when Black individuals wear grillz, the cultural reading is often distorted by stereotype. 

This painting deliberately reverses that lens. By situating grillz within a fine-art tradition, the piece reframes them as symbols of heritage, agency, and self-possession, emphasizing the ongoing reclamation of identity within Black culture.

Mom's Zebra 2025

Oil Painting