Kaylee Reynolds is an artist, designer and photographer from Jamaica, currently based in New York. She is a member of New York University’s Class of 2020, and is pursuing a BFA in Studio Art with a focus in painting, design and photography, and a minor in Business of Entertainment, Media and Technology. Her artwork, usually executed through painting and photography, is heavily based on her experience navigating various spaces in society, while inhabiting a black body. Where her design and illustration work is concerned, she strives to create artistic experiences and creative content that encourages users to thoroughly engage with a number of topics be it on a personal or societal level, often drawing on themes such as female empowerment, lifestyle and popular culture.
Portfolio: https://kayleereynolds.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kayleereynolds.art/
Alanis, the Gaze
There’s something really powerful about a black and white portrait where the subject is gazing back at the viewer. Where artwork is concerned, the conversation about the gaze often comes into play in cases where a female, especially a female of colour, is depicted, a concept known as the male gaze. This piece aims to resist the sense of vulnerability that is often created by the gaze, by allowing the subject to confront the viewer with her own powerful gaze.
The Melanin Project
The Melanin Project is a personal illustration project that celebrates the beauty of black women, in a diverse range of skin tones. The rest of the project can be viewed at https://kayleereynolds.com/the-melanin-project
Orville in Profile
This portrait, taken in profile, is in line with the sense of empowerment that I would like all my subjects to feel when being photographed, whether or not they are engaging or interacting with the viewer.
Tiffani
This image, taken of a close friend lying down on sheets in grass, explores my affinity for depicting people of colour, in spaces of comfort, where it’s okay for them to be vulnerable, but feel empowered at the same time.
Untitled Dance Series
In this photo series, two female dancers are presented mid-performance, both bodies interacting organically with each other, in a hallway framed by white walls. Despite the constricting architecture, there is still a sense of freedom felt in the movement of the bodies, thus, it explores ideas of navigating various spaces in society.
Liviya Movement
This photograph investigates the shapes created by the curvature and organic nature of the body, especially in the context of dance and movement, juxtaposed against the geometric nature of the ground beneath the subject.
