When I develop the titles of the pieces and also defining each image, I will often search for poems that can express the emotion that I felt while creating the work. For me poetry is a form of spiritual manifestations through words. In this collection, the poem of Niki Giovanni titled The laws of Motion, spoke to me and in an interesting way it’s a reflection of the soul of the collection. We were painting the canvas in the middle of the night in order to prep for the next day shoot. Betty started painting the background back because I thought it would look interesting with the red ladder. I liked the strokes and decided to flip it side ways and add dots. When we looked back at the set, for me I see an outline of a face but also the encroachment of darkness. The keys are symbolic of wisdom, unlocking potential and so forth. I have used ladders before and really like the shape of these ladders, which are made out of eucalyptus tree. I chose to paint it red to express life, death, hope, and nightmare. The rose is symbolic of strength, beauty, peace, love, and endurance. The black and white tile is symbolic of history and also dedication to Malick Sidibe. I wanted to express that in a world where we are bombarded with false hopes and knowledge, we have to persevere through moments of darkness with faith.