Photographer Francena Ottley

My name is Francena Ottley, I'm a Dominican-American New York based Photographer and Installation Artist. My work focuses on empowering women of color and using my art as a tool for visual activism. Through photography, embroidery, sculpture, video, and more I create these immersive environments to allow the viewers to connect to ones experience of being of color in American society. I provide a platform for those whose feel powerless and give a voice to those that normally go unheard.

These images are from my solo show at The Living Gallery Outpost in NYC and are apart of my series called Mayoridad (Coming of Age). Inspired by my own childhood experiences, it highlights a fantasy teenage bedroom that puts the experience of growing up as a young women of color on display. It confronts the issues in society around women of color feeling pressured to conform to what society views as beautiful. It also confronts the taboos of womanhood and the lack of connection and understanding young women have to their bodies. The photographs serve as a representation of "real life girls." Girls that everyone can feel connected to, inspired by and find their own beauty from within. 

More info:

Website: https://cenagraphy.onfabrik.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lebleuart

Ello: https://ello.co/lebleuart