The collage artworks in Bountiful bring together seductive scenes of abundance and adornments. These tantalizing displays are full of allurements such as diamonds, extravagant clothes, and decor that feed our society’s ever-present unhealthy relationship to materialism. These items, juxtaposed with the Black female body, adds an element of objectivity and the transactional nature in which Black women’s bodies have been viewed through history.
With each image, Sterling-Wilson has constructed a setting that showcases women in commanding postures accompanied by desirable items. Through these works, she has given herself permission to embrace these ornaments and use them as objects of power. By looking beyond their materialistic nature, the items operate as a metaphor for ways in which women reclaim their power through warranted attainment.
- Curator, Thomas James
PlaygirlCollage, 11x5, 2022
Bon VivantCollage, 20x30, 2022
Diamond GirlCollage, 11x5, 2022
Fruits of Your LaborCollage, 15x8, 2022
RitualCollage, 12x12, 2022
Classic BeautyCollage, 13x15, 2021
Tea PartyCollage, 20x10, 2021
RoyaltyCollage, 15x13, 2020
