Maya Ingram: Reawakening

Reawakening

A solo exhibition by Maya Ingram

“Despite social standards, I’ve chosen to take the leap of faith and become a full-time visual artist because I want to be able to show inclusivity, not just speak about it. I’ve always been interested in art history and throughout my courses at UofSC I’ve noticed how the Black figures are usually portrayed as a slave, mammy, or struggling worker in almost all paintings and/or drawings. I know for a fact that these caricatures aren’t all we were in the past, and they’re not who we are now. With my works, I’m hoping to take the misrepresentation and underrepresentation of Black people throughout art and art history and combine them into something that will inspire other young people in my community to explore the creative world.”

About Maya Ingram

Columbia-based artist Maya Ingram has been working on perfecting her artistic skills for as long as she can remember. Her love for visual art began in her early childhood years as she would always enjoy arts and crafts and helping classmates with drawing assignments. Growing up, Maya held tight to her creativity due to the fact that many Black children aren’t encouraged to pursue art as a main focus but rather just a recreational activity. Ingram used her passion for creating works as a way to earn money during her freshman year at the University of South Carolina and after a large turn of events that year, May decided to fully embrace her passion and changed her major from Biology to Studio Art with a concentration in drawing. She will be a graduate of the University of South Carolina with a BFA in December 2021. May finds joy in whatever her subject matter or media may be and hopes to push other artists to work in ways that are new and exciting. Her works are highly influenced by Black pop culture and its diversity and intersectionality, presented through painted portraits, drawings, and digital work.