Sisterhood, Subversion & Spandex — In Conversation with Ayana M. Evans
- Florcy Morisset
- Apr 2
- 3 min read
By Florcy Morisset Founder & Curator, Vivant Art Gallery
“You are a living work of art. A walking canvas dipped in truth and audacity.”
These are the words I offered to Ayana M. Evans at the beginning of our conversation—and I meant every single one.
This episode is a celebration, a reunion, and a reckoning. It’s not just an interview—it’s a moment in Black art history.
For those who don’t yet know, Ayana M. Evans is a powerhouse performance artist, unapologetic in her expression, and unwavering in her mission to shift the narrative around Black womanhood, visibility, and public space. She's my sister in Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and someone I’ve had the honor to call a friend for over a decade. I’ve witnessed her rise, stood beside her as she shot photo series on the magical beaches of Martha’s Vineyard and city of Oakland, CA, and I am a proud collector of her work.
Her art isn’t just something you view—it’s something you feel—something to experience. Something that grips you by the collar, paints your perception, and dares you to sit in your discomfort.
And now, she's inviting us deeper with her latest exhibition:
✨ “HOW OFTEN ARE YOU PHOTOGRAPHED WITHOUT YOUR PERMISSION?”
🗓 Opening Reception: April 3rd, 5pm–7:30pm CST
🎭 Live Performance of Operation Catsuit: April 10th @ 6pm
📍 Ralph Arnold Gallery, Loyola University, 1131 W Sheridan Rd, Chicago, IL
👩🏽🎨 Curated by Ph.D. candidate Jessica Lanay (@hanginthere_kitty)
🌺 About this episode
In our interview, Ayana lets us in—fully, vulnerably, and joyously. We talk about the journey as well as grit and glamour behind her most iconic performances, including Operation Catsuit, and the real origin stories that the art world doesn’t always see. Spoiler alert: she was once a handbag designer, studied at FIT, and had a rapper brother (yes, creativity runs deep in the family bloodline).
She shares what it's like to be a Black woman artist navigating both the gallery circuit and the gritty, glorious spaces of public performance and digital media. She opens up about being photographed without consent—an experience many Black femmes know all too well—and how she flipped that trauma into transformative art.
And most powerfully, she reflects on our own creative sisterhood. From Martha’s Vineyard residencies to makeshift photo shoots with remote clickers and cardboard signs, to watching her manifest art sales in real-time—we’ve shared a journey that speaks to Black women supporting each other not just in word, but in action.
🌟 Why This Matters
Art is activism. Art is affirmation. Art is resistance.
Ayana’s work confronts the way Black bodies are consumed, surveilled, and judged in public space. She reclaims agency, dares to wear bright spandex in places that expect silence, demureness, and insists on being seen—and seen on her own terms.
In a time where visibility is both a gift and a weapon, Ayana reminds us that how we're seen matters. And who gets to tell that story matters even more.
📣 What You Can Do
Watch the vlog. Witness Ayana’s spirit in motion.
Show up to the opening on April 3rd and the performance on April 10th if you’re in Chicago.
Follow her on Instagram @ayana.m.evans.
Visit her Website: www.ayanaevans.com
Buy her art. DM her, inquire, support. Art collecting is for everyone. Payment plans welcome.
Share this post. Spread her story like gospel.
💫 Final Words
To my Vivant fam: Supporting Black women artists is not a trend. It’s a responsibility. It’s a love language. Ayana M. Evans is a visionary—her art belongs in museums, your homes, your hearts.
So pull up. Watch the vlog. Visit the exhibition. And most of all—see her.
Because Ayana isn’t just making art. She’s making history.
With love and light,
Florcy
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