Lee-Roy Zozo graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Art. Fascinated by wood, he uses its material qualities to celebrate Black women and explore their representation in popular culture. His work delves into themes of status, objectification, and the intersections of race, gender, and class.

Inspired by the people he encounters, Lee-Roy creates their portraits in paint on wood, allowing the natural luster of the veneer to represent the sitter’s skin tone.

This deliberate use of wood references a time when the material was used to craft representational, celebratory, and protective ritualistic symbols. These paintings encourage reflection on our origins, our interconnectedness, and our connection to the earth, much like trees are rooted to the ground.

While humans are unique individuals with distinct physical and personal identities, wood also possesses its own unique grain. The patina of the grain is influenced by factors like soil quality, seasons, age, and environment. This raises the question: How do our own experiences, traumas, and environments shape and change us?

Lee-Roy further explores this idea by burning the surface of the wood, creating irreversible marks and scars that symbolize historical events and their lasting impact.