i cnt spl butt i can dra (2023)

i cnt spl butt i can dra is a visual archive of early creative expression, presented through a grid of preserved childhood drawings and family photographs. The title, derived from a handwritten note in one of the works, reclaims a common struggle in traditional schooling—spelling and literacy—as a badge of artistic identity and resilience.

This installation reflects on how creativity often emerges through perceived inadequacies, and how artistic voice can form long before formal recognition. By curating these drawings as serious artifacts, the piece disrupts the boundary between childhood play and professional practice. It challenges the viewer to reconsider what counts as artistic "legitimacy" and where value is placed within educational and familial narratives.

Playful, nostalgic, and unfiltered, this work honors the intuitive genius in early mark-making and reclaims a fractured self-image through unapologetic visibility.