Mozaiq Adansonia (they/them)
is a self-taught, Black, independent artist born and raised in Bronx, NY. They dropped out of school several years ago to honor their own personal journey without the elitism, standardization, and exclusivity of the academy. In 2021, NYC felt like a loveless and unsurvivable place for Mozaiq. They relocated to the DMV to do some healing and connect with more Black Trans people. Maryland ended up being a grand introduction to more nature than they ever had access to. They quickly became a studying forager, herbalist and gardener. This deeper connection with the Earth grounded them more in their spirituality and purpose to become more self-sufficient like their ancestors. While surviving housing insecurity in 2024, they were fortunate enough to be accepted into two training programs: one for industrial sewing and another for entry-level plumbing, electrical, and carpentry knowledge. Now, they continue trying to build community through mutual aid and organizing, and they are on a travel farming journey with their partner to keep learning and getting free.
Mozaiq's Creative Journey:
I create from a very conceptual, spiritual and displaced Afrikan mind. I want my pieces to spiritually ground, affirm and ignite those who receive them.
I grew up doing poetry slams and dreaming of being a rapper from a young age. These practices helped me strengthen my voice as a very reserved and oppressed child. I’ve carried that voice with me into adulthood, although I still bring it out selectively. My visual art is a micro-manifestation of my fantasies, fears, and ponderings; usually spiritual, mythical unions between beloved plants, fungi, animals, people and celestial bodies. I’m very inspired by Afrikan iconography. With both my visual art and (newfound) sewing practice, I tend to use upcycled materials. This isn’t for the purpose of being eco-trendy. It's because I’m broke and learned to be resourceful! As for beading, well…I saw a rainbow vision of dancing beads during a moment of initiation as a teenager—it has always stuck with me. In addition to the necklaces and sensory-collage pieces that I create with beading, I also create waistbeads. They are a symbol of sensuality and identity to me, and I am interested in changing oppressive and limiting notions about waistbeads; such as that they are only for women, or for the feminine, or for weight/size-policing, or for a future husband's eyes.