Symphonii Smith-Kennedy

Symphonii Smith-Kennedy is a 23-year-old artist from South Florida. While pursuing her education at New World School of the Arts and currently a resident artist at the Bailey Contemporary Art Residency program in Pompano Beach, Florida; these environments provide her serious artistic exploration in painting and her identity. Utilizing art to learn what it means to be a Black queer woman in the current climate of the world while using her experience, imagination, and admiration for the unreal to influence her work. Essentially creating sequential narratives through oil painting and other mediums that derive from Afro-centric or black culture and fantasy. While painting is her main practice, Symphonii’s aspirations bridge between fine art, mural painting, illustration, and entrepreneurship.

As an aspiring painter and writer, I illustrate mythological and supernatural based pieces derived from my book Urban Celestial and my heritage/culture. Surrealistic fantasy originates from my dreams depicting the dream references and converting them into paintings and drawings. Stylized vibrant concepts and strict realism influence my traditional paintings. Also portraying an admiration for the animal kingdom and the world around us that we take for granted. While pursuing my art career at New World School of the Arts, I learned how to incorporate my heritage and black history in my work instead of conforming to the modern concept of fantasy art. Some of my recent work is more symbolic than fantastical though.  I have been exploring more ways to step out of my studio and create work that was made intentionally to connect with others, such as murals and workshops.

         My identity has never been so engraved into my work until recently, being a black queer woman has its own hardships and beautiful moments. The more I grow as a human the more I am able to be one with my work, letting it speak about my transgressions in a way that others can also relate to. By diving deeper into learning who I truly am through my art, I’ve been giving life to my inner feelings and thoughts while depicting the several aspects of myself that I don’t always share. This series is a self-explorative narrative painting series where I create life-size self portraits that speak on personal topics that most people experience but usually keep private. This series challenges viewers to confront those shunned or hidden feelings and embrace these parts that essentially make us human. 

FL