FORBIDDEN FRUIT

The recent reality in the United States shows a forceful shift toward seeing the world in polarized terms. Nuance has no home in many contemporary conversations—we’re constantly pushed to choose one side or the other. Left or Right. Black or White. Good or Evil, Man or Woman. This diptych, confronts this tension by reimagining the first two humans in a bold, explicit way: Adam (painted white) symbolizes air and water, while Eve (painted black) embodies earth and fire. In unison, they merge all four elements.

Together, they represent the ancient concept of Yin and Yang-traditionally an expression of balance and interconnectedness rather than a strict moral dichotomy. Their combined energies suggest that what appears to be in opposition can actually coexist in harmony. The work also layers in questions of racial identity, inviting viewers to consider how mythological archetypes and present-day discourses on race intersect.