Dionna Bright - Self-Portrait Artist
Biography
Dionna Bright is a self-portrait artist who uses photography as her primary medium to explore the
layered realms of memory, vulnerability, authenticity, and resilience. Through her work, she reclaims
personal history and reshapes the narrative of self, incorporating symbolic materials such as fabric,
relics, knickknacks, wood, and vivid colors as tools of transformation. Her self-portraits, whether
created in the studio, at home, or within nature, become meditative acts that reveal the complexity of
human experience, offering both tension and release.
Rooted in memory, identity, and the intangible moments that bridge past, present, and future,
Dionna’s work embraces the interplay of light and darkness, strength and fragility, visibility and
concealment. She weaves elements such as cyanotype, an alternative photographic process,
vessels, and the imagery of home into her practice, exploring the ways in which personal and
collective histories evolve over time. With an archival quality, her work reflects a commitment to
preservation, history, and the passage of time. Through self-portraiture, Dionna creates space for
introspection, resilience, and transformation. Her work serves as an exploration of identity and the
hidden stories that shape us, inviting others to embrace the complexity of their own narratives with
openness and reflection.
2024 Fall Resident Artist, Goodyear Arts
Charlotte, North Carolina
Artist Statement
Artist Statement
I use photography as a means of self-exploration, navigating the layered realms of memory,
vulnerability, authenticity, and resilience. Through self-portraiture, I reclaim personal history and
reshape the narrative of self, incorporating symbolic materials such as fabric, relics, knickknacks,
wood, and vivid colors as tools of transformation. Whether created in the studio, at home, or within
nature, my self-portraits become meditative acts, revealing the complexity of human experience and
the tensions between light and darkness, strength and fragility, past and present. My practice is
deeply rooted in memory, identity, and the intangible moments that bridge time. By layering
photography with elements such as cyanotype, an alternative photographic process, vessels, and the
imagery of home, I explore the fluidity of selfhood and the evolving nature of personal and collective
histories. There is an archival quality to my work, reinforcing its connection to preservation, history,
and the passage of time. My work embraces resilience and introspection, honoring the raw,
unapologetic parts of self that resist containment while holding space for quiet grace and
transformation. Through my art, I aim to create a dialogue between self-reflection and the universal
human experience, an invitation to see beyond the surface, embrace complexity, and recognize the
beauty in the layers of our own stories.