The Can Series

The pieces from the CAN series are all limited editions of [10], created using a Xerox machine to explore the intersection of consumer culture and the historical experiences of Black Americans. The choice of the Xerox machine as a medium is deliberate, reflecting the theme of contemporary reproduction and the repetition inherent in both mass production and societal cycles of exploitation.

Each work in this edition begins with a meticulously selected can, symbolizing the discarded yet essential aspects of Black and Brown histories. The can is photographed, capturing its worn, repurposed appearance—a testament to the resilience and ingenuity of marginalized communities. This image is then processed through a Xerox machine, a tool historically associated with office work and mass reproduction, to emphasize the idea of duplication and the commodification of culture.

The Xerox process distorts and degrades the image slightly with each copy, echoing how history can be diluted or erased through repeated cycles of consumption and commodification. This method also draws on the legacy of pop art and its critique of consumerism, using a contemporary tool to replicate the essence of Warhol’s silk-screened pop images while embedding it with a deeper, socio-political message.

The final prints are layered and textured, capturing the tension between the essential and the excessive, the original and the reproduced. Each of the [10] editions stands as a unique reflection on the persistent struggle for recognition and value in a society that often fails to honor the contributions of Black and Brown communities.