Isang

Medium

Sculpture- Papier-mâché and Gypsum

Dimensions

18"H × 16"W

Year

2026

The title is derived from the Ibibio language, spoken in Akwa Ibom State, where I spent a year teaching art. It means "journey," and it marks my first in-depth exploration of papier-mâché as a sculptural medium and the beginning of a deeper engagement with the concept of freedom. The work depicts one leg lifted in motion, a gesture that speaks to the courage required to move beyond familiarity and embrace new possibilities, whether creative, personal, or spiritual. A coral bead anklet encircling the leg symbolizes my connection to the children I taught during my time in Akwa Ibom. It reminds me that journeys are rarely undertaken alone. The relationships we build become part of our movement. The anklet carries traces of a place and people who became an integral part of my own journey of becoming. Within my ongoing exploration of freedom, Isang is both a tribute to my experiences and a reflection on the transformative power of beginnings.