Digital Intersections: Shardé Pettis
WE are the table
The Digital Window Exhibitions at Phillips@THEARC are part of ongoing efforts to connect and work with artists in the greater DC region. Works are displayed on our west facing façade on a monitor, visible to passersby. This exhibition is part of the Digital Intersections series.
Artist Statement
Entrusted with the deepest, most intimate details of people’s lives, I am an advocate and storyteller in all aspect of my roles as both a psychologist and a photographer. I am deeply curious about people’s perspectives and lifestyles. My camera allows me to connect with people and places and capture the often serendipitous moment in which our paths crossed. I use photography to highlight the power of community and the richness of cultures around the world. As a member of communities in cities across the country where I have chosen to plant seeds, even if just for a short time in my life, my goal is to create a digital narrative that highlights the depth and warmth of the people and spaces I experienced.
WE are the table is a digital image of eight Black women deep in conversation while sitting around a table in front of a row of portraits of unknown figures. The picture was captured during a community event called “Black Girls in Art Spaces.” Attendees reflected on the Afrofuturism exhibit at the National Museum for African American History and Culture and discussed the future of Black women in the arts.
About the Artist
Shardé Pettis is a child psychologist at the Children’s Health Center at THEARC in Southeast Washington, DC, serving Wards 7 and 8, and a photographer. She is originally from Fort Lauderdale, Florida; has lived in Cincinnati, Ohio, and New Orleans, Louisiana; and now resides in the greater Washington, DC, area.
