Dominique (she, they, +) uses handheld, non-surveilled tools – pen, ink, and paper – to connect with herself in the intimate way fluidity of dark ink does with paper. Tangibly, held between the fingers, grasped and gripped and sticky, and wet, and stained. Black like Kali, like wombs and subconscious depths holding more than the known, ink speaks to archetypes of Feminine Power: the birthing place of the mysterious; the danger of destructive potential. Light shines through white paper; translucent but where the contrast makes form. Makes meaning.
And the camera, and the upload, that remove the original pages from the intimacy of private view to a globally-shared platform. What happens to intimacy as it’s transferred? The non-digital becomes digital; the private (including mistakes, imperfections), becomes public. The conversion from solidity to jpg to gif; cubism removing flow.
Dominique is a human who asks questions and collaborates empathetically towards a happier, healthier world. She believes in story, in Love, and increasingly, in community. In this piece, Dominique shares journal entries, notes and handwritten calligraphic statements – highlighting the Creative Process and idea of “readiness” through engagement of concept over finality or perfectionistic preparation.
Humanity currently faces an existential question of identity and personal value, or inherent worth. Some of what we’ve identified with in our repetitive doing, is no longer needed. But even as ink and paper can be converted to pixels, and the quality of texture turns to numbers and code, and the stickiness can no longer be felt, the memory of how the ink looked as it dried, and smudged on this artist’s knuckle– has movement, has value, has worth. Inherent. To feel is to be alive.
This artist hopes people remember to live beyond boxes and feel between grids. May this momentary perspective before fully reaching the waterfall of societal transition be of benefit. Dominique June 10th, 2023 Minted as part of "Blockchain x Social Change" with Palm Academy and Nadya Tolokonnikova.
