SUSTAINABLE ART, IMPACTFUL COMMUNITY.

Ayana Evans is an American artist who creates innovative and daring performances where she uses her body as a tool, much like a painter would use a brush. As a Black woman herself, her performances reflect on the experiences of Black womanhood, inviting audiences to confront the intersectionality of race and gender. Further, her performances are always interactive, allowing her to push her audiences to really put themselves in a Black woman’s shoes. She does so by giving them the option to choose between being passive bystanders, active perpetrators of violence, or active agents of Black women empowerment. This is why performance works by Ayana Evans are aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of Gender Equality.

Photograph of Ayana Evans enacting If Keisha Jumped Off a Bridge, Would You Do It Too?, one of her participatory works. Image courtesy of Ayana Evans’ website.

One example is her now renowned 2018 piece, If Keisha Jumped Off a Bridge, Would You Do It Too?. The piece opened Evans’ first solo show at the Medium Tings Gallery in Brooklyn, New York City, during which the artist walked down the street in a bikini while dragging an ice bucket with one of her feet. She had also laid on the gallery’s entryway, blocking their entrance and exit in a way that they would easily be able to circumnavigate. Evans did all this in an iconic neon green catsuit and red heels, asserting her presence and demanding recognition of herself on her own terms. As Evans did all these things, viewers were invited to interact with her and do as they pleased. As she dragged an ice bucket, they could have let her do so or attempted to help her. While she lay in the doorway, they could have stepped over her or attempted to help her get up. These acts prompt audiences to further think about how their roles in a society that often objectifies and marginalizes Black women.

Photograph of Ayana Evans enacting If Keisha Jumped Off a Bridge, Would You Do It Too?, one of her participatory works. Image courtesy of Medium Tings Gallery.

Results from her performances varied. Some people preferred to simply stand around and record her act, while others asked her about the piece, even if she was dragging an ice bucket with one foot, without ever offering to lend a helping hand. Occasionally, people did offer to help; they would catch her when she fell or offer to massage her tired muscles. This interactivity created a lasting impression on her audiences, making sure they went home ruminating about their roles in the systemic oppression of Black women.

Photograph of Ayana Evans enacting If Keisha Jumped Off a Bridge, Would You Do It Too?, one of her participatory works. Image courtesy of Ayana Evans’ website.

Last but not least, one of the most compelling aspects of Evans's piece is her unapologetic embrace of her identity as a Black woman. She refuses to conform to societal expectations of what a Black woman should be. Instead, she presents herself in a striking manner. She struts down the street in a small bikini or a skin-tight catsuit, calling attention to herself, all while embracing the flaws and imperfections on her figure as sources of strength. Hence, by laying bare her bodily fears, desires, and struggles during her performances, Evans invites people to confront themselves and ponder why they react in a certain way. She asks them to question whether or not they are influenced by their own biases and prejudices and if they can foster genuine empathy and understanding when moving forward.


Find out more about performance pieces and other initiatives by Ayana Evans on her website www.ayanaevans.com or Instagram @ayana.m.evans.

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