I Don't Have Enough Room to Stretch My Legs -- A Visual Exploration of Black and Queer Identity
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: My practice investigates the nuances of Black and queer identity, including my evolving relationship to Black girlhood and womanhood, honoring my Black and queer elders, and navigating the emotional and social dimensions of transitioning. Using sculpture, papermaking and relief printmaking, I create a physical representation of my fears and truths. I explore themes of cultural identity through a repeated visual motif printed on paper made from old middle school clothing. My process is multidisciplinary because the subject matter is multidimensional. The nuances of the Black and queer experience must be told in a queer way (as in 'strange' or 'unconventional'). The mediums I work in serve as pathways for visiting and reckoning with the different versions of me that have existed in the past, exist currently, and will exist in the future.
Author: Rodney, Elyas
Institution: University of North Florida
Language: English
Subfield: Visual Arts and Performing Arts
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7225846269
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