LINDA A. RENO & NIC[O] BRIERRE AZIZ AT THE TRAVIS HILL SCHOOL
Aamond, Christopher, Christopher, Donny, Jaquan, Keymon, Lokell, Michael, Rayqine, Raynell, Slick. 2020, printed 2022, Archival pigment prints
In the process of creating these portraits, the young men were asked to define their ideal space. They were asked to define what that space would look like, what songs would be playing, who would be present, and what they’d be wearing. While we could not actualize all aspects of their desired idyllic places, by simply asking the questions, we were able to help create a mindset conducive to their own visions of what freedom feels like. We gave the youth clothing to mask the orange jumpsuits that mark their incarceration, so that they were able to unmark themselves for the portraits.
As a teacher, I already had a previous relationship to many of the students as an Artist-in-Residence for Travis Hill Schools. We had a comfortable and familiar rapport—a true human connection that allowed us to create bold unique portraits. However, the images don’t define them. Rather, they serve as interpretations of who these young men were in that moment, in that space. An opportunity to see the young men beyond their circumstance.
LINDA A. RENO
“I feel like I’m back at home” is a quote that rings deeply in my subconscious whenever I think about my experiences with the Travis Hill School. I distinctly remember one of the students saying this as he tried on one of my jackets for his portrait. Notions of “home” and what creates this feeling, in relation to how our sense of home impacts how we show up in the world as individuals, were central ideas to this project and my practice in general as an artist. This was undoubtedly one of the most memorable projects I’ve ever been a part of—a chance for the Travis Hill students to “see themselves beyond” the orange jumpsuit they’re forced to wear every day. Those jumpsuits only amplify the layers of oppression you feel from the moment you walk into the building—so to use art as a means of combatting those barbaric vibrations is something that I will cherish. I so vividly remember the expressions of joy and excitement from the students as they tried on the different clothes. This project was especially resonant for me as an artist, as my practice has centered around exploring the ways in which Blackness exists as a construct, experience, and colonial-capitalist tool. As I reflect upon these young Black men—these beams of light—I can’t help but think about the ways in which their bodies are being used to perpetuate the carceral system. And of the oppression and exploitation that is the literal root of this country’s wealth—this country that is supposed to be our home.
Linda A. Reno (b. 1981, Detroit, MI; based in New Orleans, LA) is an American photographer, storyteller and educator. She is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin where she earned an MA in Photojournalism. Reno is a visual storyteller using still photography, videography and multimedia production. She works as a youth photography educator and is particularly fond of this type of work. Her personal work focuses on documenting and exploring the manifestation of ancient collective memory within culture. Reno was born in Detroit, but early adulthood brought her down below the Mason-Dixon line and she has never looked back. The sights, sounds, smells, tastes, textures, and culture of the Global South inspire all her work. Throughout all her endeavors, it is this visceral sense of culture that she seeks to both reveal and revel in.
INSTAGRAM prettyreindeer
Nic[o] Brierre Aziz (b. circa 1990, New Orleans, LA; based in New Orleans, LA) is an interdisciplinary artist of Haitian and American heritage. He describes his work as a historical-pop culture assemblage, drawing on existing narratives and materials to create a new narrative. His practice is community-focused and reimagines the collective future. Aziz’s work has been recognized by several awards,including a 2020 Andy Warhol Foundation Curatorial Fellowship and 2021 Joan Mitchell Center Artist Residency. He has led numerous community-based projects with the Prospect.5 New Orleans triennial, Office of Mayor Mitch Landrieu, YAYA Arts Center, Arts New Orleans and most recently the New Orleans Museum of Art. He also manages the Haitian Cultural Legacy Collection, a collection of over 400 Haitian artworks started by his maternal grandfather in 1944. Aziz holds a BA from Morehouse College in Atlanta and an MSc from the University of Manchester in the UK.
INSTAGRAM nicoelganso
