Cheyenne Julien's artistic practice begins by harnessing her memories of childhood in the Bronx. Reimagining her life in the Bronx's tallest high-rise, she aims to push viewers to see beyond the confines of our reality-taking those memories and twisting them, distorting them, and flipping them upside down. She uses painting and drawing to reappropriate representations of black bodies that are so often excluded throughout art history. For as long as she can remember, Cheyenne has pushed against the imperceivable structures- social, physical, economic-that silently shape the outcomes of our neighborhoods. Through personal narrative, Cheyenne addresses themes of racism, social class, culture, humor, empathy and identity. In May 2016, Cheyenne received her BFA in Painting from the Rhode Island School of Design, and has gone on to complete 3 residency programs. Her work has been exhibited at RISD's Woods Gerry gallery, Smart Objects in LA, and other venues across the country.
