This mixed-media piece began as an abstract exploration, but Joli couldn’t leave it at that. Despite external pressures to conform to abstraction, the artist brought forth a figure—a celebration of Black beauty—layered over a highly textured, abstract acrylic background. The decision to blend the smoothness of oil with the roughness of the acrylic creates a dialogue between the two mediums, where the background’s chaotic texture subtly bleeds into the foreground, marking the figure’s face.

What emerges is a layered conversation between abstraction and realism, between the expectations placed on the artist and the need to remain true to her vision. The figure, a Black woman, rises from the abstract, asserting her presence, her beauty, and her calm defiance. Her gaze is steady, inviting us to reflect not just on the struggle for representation but on the beauty, strength, and complexity that exist beyond it.

Joli’s choice to bridge these two styles—abstract and figurative—reveals the inner conflict between external pressures and personal integrity. The result is a painting that holds space for both chaos and calm, abstraction and identity. It is, at its core, a refusal to be confined by expectations, a statement on the necessity of representation, and a reminder of the quiet strength that lies in doing what feels true, regardless of the market’s demand