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Rorschach inkblot tests are a psychoanalytical tool used to ask the viewer what they see, perceive or feel. The shapes painted on their backs from my dreams are reminiscent of the shapes used in the test. For the entities that still use them, test results are used to influence decisions on many things: in court to determine custody of a child, to determine fitness for clergy, to determine a person’s likelihood that they’ll commit violence, to determine if someone has experienced abuse and a myriad of other reasons.

“Mark Yourself Safe”, which is the title of this work, is a Facebook feature meant to show your friends you’re safe from natural disasters and other acts of God. This work was delivered to me in a dream; so my subconscious chose this orange. A hazardous, alarming orange, heated to a temperature that encourages sight.

Black skin is the same way, we’ve been conditioned to project our judgment onto black skin as a space to make determinations on our safety. In this way, we use the size and depth of black skin as a barometer for fear.

These photos are a study of your fear. When you focus on this black man, independent of the shape judging you inadvertently on his back, independent of this photo’s creative value, with his Pitt bulls and his boxers out, standing in a neighborhood you wouldn’t dare step foot in—it’s not a question of whether or not you are afraid, because you are. The question is, of what?

Try to remove the shape from the body. What does this shape actually say to you? What does the body evoke in you?

Do you see a bird? A butterfly? A map? A mask? A man? Do you sense frustration, power, pain, nostalgia? Do you feel confused, heartbroken, combative, annoyed? Do you feel nothing?

Fear cannot personify itself, it needs belief as an aid. And our beliefs are a collection of notions, lack of exposure, generational instruction, DNA, and social constructs that boil into instincts and truths we inherit. It registers in the body as shock, outrage, disrespect, disregard, even silence.

By this work’s intentions, what you see could determine the shape of your fear, curiosities, safety, or freedom.

Notice if you’re able to separate what you see from what you *want to see, versus what you actually register in your body when you look closely.

The shape—the fear—your truth is one thing. Your work, is realizing that the black male body is another.

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You may select your desired pose once you click “add to cart.”

For sizes larger than 24 x 36 please email at iam@hiaj.co for a custom order.

Statement Prints are printed on textured, 60-pound, neutral-white, archival matte paper. The giclée printing process utilizes 10 different archival inks to achieve long-lasting, true-to-color richness, outstanding resolution, and even ink lay. The finished product boasts a quality not found in standard inkjet, digital or laser prints.

Please note that all sales are final. On the refreshed FAQ page, you’ll find the Annual Sale process timelines, shipping, packaging, troubleshooting information, care tips, and more! NOTE: All Annual Sale print orders will be placed on December 12.

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