Sheherazade Thenard (b. 1995 in New York) graduated in 2018 with their BFA and later in 2022 with their MFA from the University of Central Florida. They are currently participating as an Artist in Action with American Landmark during a yearlong artist residency in Downtown Orlando.

“How does one navigate the constant uncovering of selfhood?

“As a Black woman scholar and a second-generation child of immigrants from Martinique, growing up in the Florida suburbs, I am constantly negotiating my space in the southern American landscape. My work addresses autobiographical discoveries regarding the intersections of womanhood, sexuality, class, and how gender roles influence the spaces I inhabit. My painting, printmaking, and drawing include a variety of media, heightened color, and texture. I use portraiture and still lifes as narrative tools to uncover the emotive states of the figure depicted. By using visual elements such as jewel toned skin, I address inherent politicization surrounding Black skin. Hot Florida sunsets elicit the appearance of fire, and chromatically lush foliage fights for dominance and acts dually as a concealing element.

@sheherazade.thenard