Ori: The body as a Story is a conceptual portrait series exploring Black storytelling, spiritual symbolism, and the body as a sacred canvas. Inspired by Yoruba cosmology and my study of artist Laolu Senbanjo, the project uses hand-painted body markings to connect personal identity with the symbolic presence of the Orishas.

Each subject was chosen to represent one of seven Orishas based on their personality, lived experience, and emotional connection to the qualities of that figure. Before photographing each person, I held a conversation with them about their story, their connection to the Orisha, and how their body could visually carry that meaning.

Through paint, portraiture, and collaboration, the series transforms the body into a site of memory, identity, and spiritual reflection. The white markings become more than decoration; they become a language. They hold pieces of the subject’s story while connecting them to a larger tradition of Black mythology, power, and sacred imagination.

The eighth portrait is a self-portrait completed with the help of my collaborators. After assisting me throughout the series, they chose the Orisha they felt represented me, painted my body, and photographed me under my direction. This final act allowed the project to become reciprocal, turning the artist into the subject and completing the circle of storytelling.