Tiaraoluwa

Digital and photography on canvas.

48x36x1"

Limited edition 8 of 20.

TIARAOLUWA

Where African and Black American Identities Meet

Tiaraoluwa is a mixed-media digital artwork combining photographs of my own wedding dress with digital illustration.

Like Omotara, this piece was inspired by my visit to a Black woman-owned hotel in Northern Virginia, where I was drawn to the equestrian grounds and the experience of seeing Black women enjoying horses, nature, and leisure.

I wanted to capture the softness of that experience through fashion and landscape. The voluminous gown, created using images of my wedding dress, introduces something deeply personal into an otherwise imagined setting. By reworking the dress digitally, I gave it a new context beyond the occasion for which it was originally worn.

The name Tiaraoluwa is Yoruba, but its sound also carries elements that feel familiar within American naming traditions. I was drawn to that overlap, much like the relationship between African and Black American identities that continues to influence my work.

Through Tiaraoluwa, I explore the ways these cultures remain distinct while naturally intersecting, using personal memories, fashion, and familiar landscapes to bring them together.