Yelaine Rodriguez
My work addresses the social and political tactics of identity formation and the dispute of women's roles in historical references. I am encouraged by the endurance to thrive as an Afro-Caribbean individual raised within the Caribbean and the United States Black experiences. I design pieces that correlate to my Afro-Dominican roots, the women in my family, African and Native rituals, Afro-syncretic religions, feminine and masculine roles. I am engaged in a conversation with history and its effects on our lives and our personalities.I source Afro-syncretic religious traditions found in the Dominican and Haitian African diasporic communities, such as Voodoo and Santeria, to conceptualize wearable art and costume pieces. These are activated when worn by people whom I imagine to possess the characteristics of specific deities. My artistic practice is a commentary of the existence of a new Black culture generated from the New World, focusing on Orishas and Loa.
Oshun Orisha of Fertility: Help us Birth Generations of Revolutionary Womxn' is a multi-media project that incorporates fashion, handwoven panels, video, and photography. Inspired by Oshun the orisha of fertility, I conceptualized a wearable art piece in response to the concept of birthing a revolution. The sitter for Oshun wears a bright yellow dress in her honor, with a handwoven cape that brings together indigo blue threads mimicking the Atlantic water that brought our ancestors to the Americas with brown threads woven in a fashion that resembles scars. We stand on the shoulders of our ancestors that paved the way and pass on the baton forward. So that we may continue to carry the message onward, therefore it may never be lost. The pass of the 19th Amendment was a group effort by women of different experiences, cultures, and economically diverse backgrounds. I am inspired by the Black womxn that during the early stages of the movement, persevere for a brighter future. They entrusted that the next generation will continue the fight. My work aspires to bring awareness to the Black women in the movement through Afro spirituality, traditions, and Afro-futuristic imagery.