Michaiyla Carmichael
American, Born 1999

My practice is rooted in the visual language of liberation movements and the socio-political contexts that have shaped them. Influenced by artists such as Emory Douglas, I examine how systems of racialized control are reproduced across generations and how visual art functions as both documentation and resistance. Through this work, I engage with history not as static archives, but as living frameworks that continue to inform our contemporary struggles.

Drawing from my experience in political organizing, public service, and academia, I’ve created connecting narratives while working across mediums. Through contrast, movement, and bold strokes, I share stories of power and resilience in the face of systemic inequity, political othering, and interference in the pursuit of justice. I intentionally use basic and accessible materials such as markers, paper, and upcycled textiles. These choices reflect the restrictions placed on marginalized communities, and in turn, the resourcefulness and creativity of Black communities.

My recent work focuses on generational trauma and embodied memory. I construct moments in time derived from historical testimonies, using tally marks to reference an accumulation of harm, time, and unresolved debt. This visual strategy draws on the idea that trauma is carried within the body, while also invoking systems of accounting, punishment, and labor that have long structured racial capitalism. By translating pain into a recurring, measured mark in high contrast with negative space, I urge viewers to push beyond initial discomfort to confront a personal and collective struggle.

At a moment when Black history is actively suppressed, and frameworks of equity are increasingly contested, my work emphasizes the necessity of Black art as a site of historical preservation, political education, and collective truth.