become intimate with your fears.
listen to them. sit cross legged.
give them your undivided
attention. offer them comfort.
offer them rest.

— Nayyirah Waheed
Author of salt., nejma and preFICTION

Offer Them Comfort. Offer Them Rest by Desireé Vaniecia, derives from a poem written by author Nayyirah Waheed regarding fear. In this exhibition, Desiree is documenting her fears of motherhood and coming to terms with situations she has no control over. Desiree Vaniecia is a contemporary painter who lives and works in Dallas, Texas. Raised in a matriarchal home, her work pays homage to her family and their legacy. Her distinctive personal style challenges a stereotype of Black women constructed by the media. Her portraits evoke both vulnerability and strength through posture, physical interaction, or compositional format. Gestures and poses are presented as powerful, whether through sexuality or assurance, while facial expressions and anatomical detail are left reduced and neutral within the empty or vague settings.