Spiritual Bodies Collection
This original acrylic art collection by Dr. Chiquita Howard-Bostic features an ecopoetic discourse of physical and spiritual power of Black women. The acrylic figures in each painting signify a fusion of Black women’s personal and cultural ties to the four elements—Earth, Air, Fire, Water—as well as the Void.
Background Story
The Spiritual Bodies collection is a tribute to nine significant Black women who have excelled in history and civil rights, sciences, math, education, the arts, engineering, medicine, business, and sports: Oluwatoyin Salau (History and Civil Rights), Wangari Maathai (Science), Katherine Johnson (Math), Mary McLeod Bethune (Education), Nina Chanel Abbey (Arts), Mary W. Jackson (Engineering), Dr. Muriel Petioni (Medicine), Debra Lee (Business), and Serena Williams (Sports). The paintings celebrate the connection between art, culture, history, and this powerful group of Black women who have excelled in these interdisciplinary fields.