Xaviera Simmons
Index Four,Composition Six
2013
Xaviera Simmons explores how images shape personal and collective identities, often navigating the line between fiction and reality. In this work, which is a part of a larger photographic series, she critiques the exoticized portrayal of Black women in media. The faceless figure, shown only from beneath a vibrant skirt, reveals an assemblage of feathers, lingerie, and decorative objects. By replacing identity with stereotype, the work draws attention to how media flattens individuality into spectacle. Simmons invites viewers to question what—and who—is made visible through representation.
