Karina Sharif is a multidisciplinary paper artist whose work honors the Black femme, woman, trans, gender-expansive, and non-binary diaspora by exploring the dual nature of paper—both a powerful medium for preservation and storytelling, and a commodified material reflecting the often invisible yet essential labors of Black femmes. Her practice invites viewers to engage with paper as a metaphor for the reverence and care Black femmes deserve.
Rooted in themes of rest, restitution, and community, Sharif’s work celebrates her subjects as divine and protected. A recurring motif is the “petal,” rendered in paper and stoneware, referencing the “kitchen” — the coiled hair at the nape of the neck. These petals envelop her subjects in armor: an emblem of rebellion and self-love.
Sharif draws inspiration from Anyanwu, the shapeshifting healer in Octavia Butler’s Wild Seed, whose transformative powers reflect the brilliance and adaptability of the diaspora.
@karinasharif
