Sarahjeen François

Artist Statement

My creative work extends between theatre and movement-based performance art. With these practices I explore story telling through non-verbal communication and gestures of the body to interrogate how the body manifests text into a physical representation. I highlight the bodies of women of color and social power because I am interested in how those bodies have occupied space historically and how that has evolved into present-day socially accepted constructs.
I am influenced by my experience of living in the United States as a black woman as well as by my Haitian heritage. When generating work, I draw on elements of Haitian art such as ideas of rebellion, dance, ritual, and the divine. Additionally, I am drawn to tell stories centered around the experiences of women of color as they face marginalization, patriarchy, and constant gender-based attacks on their bodies.
I am fascinated by these intersecting ideas and the way they eloquently tie into one another to create stories that inspire. While this is a society that seeks to control women, my creative work is meant to encourage them to channel the strengths of their ancestors and rebel against systematic oppression.