shanina dionna
Safe Space (pt.1)
2019
Acrylic on canvas
64 x 50"

shanina dionna's artwork will be in an InLiquid Exhibition in October 2025

Artist Statement:
This self-portrait captures a moment of quiet reflection in my adolescent home in Coatesville, PA, seated pensively in a thrifted director's chair within my former bedroom studio. Holding Sonja Lyubomirsky's "The How of Happiness" book gifted by a good friend in 2019, "Safe Space (pt.1)" symbolizes both personal growth and the pursuit of healing through resilience. Resonating with the cultural moment of that year, it is informed by themes of mental health narratives in pop culture, self-discovery, and empowerment in the context of the Black Lives Matter movement in tandem with the shifting discourse around mental health in marginalized communities. As the first of a three-part series, this piece has traveled across Philadelphia inviting viewers to connect with the spaces where we find and relish in our deepest courage and authenticity. This work is a tribute to those intimate, safe spaces that cultivate the strength to confront life's challenges, much like the ongoing cultural conversations about race, wellness, and self-acceptance in today's world of relentless societal expectations.

Artist Bio:
shanina dionna (she/they) is an acclaimed, West Philadelphia-based visual artist, non-profit founder, educator, and advocate for mental health and wellness through the arts since 2012. With a dynamic practice that spans portraits, murals, somatic movement, photography, and expressive arts therapy facilitation, shanina's work explores the intersection of identity, social change, and healing. With a history of vetted partnerships including The Barnes Foundation, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Penn Museum, The Colored Girls Museum, Urban Art Gallery, the National Liberty Museum, Mural Arts Philadelphia, the Department of Behavioral Health & Intellectual disAbility Services, and the Philadelphia System of Care, shanina has been recognized for their positive impact on both local and global communities. As a 2023/2024 Black Artists Fellow with Mural Arts Philadelphia, Temple University alum, a current Art Therapy & Counseling master student at Drexel University, and a faculty member at Fleisher Art Memorial, shanina is committed to using their art as a catalyst for dialogue and transformation. Viewers are invited to engage deeply with themes of resilience, empowerment, and collective healing in shanina's work, making each piece not only a visual experience but a profound statement of human connection and well-being.

shaninadionna.com
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