Multidimensional Portraits Spark Conversations on Societal Expectations

Posted on April 04, 2019 in

The Smile Series, a new exhibition at St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL) by St. Louis artist TraNisha Herrington, also known as Triggy, uses multidimensional portraits to comment on societal norms. The exhibition is composed of five portraits, Ophelia, Angee, Earline, Winnie, and Amber, each made from paper pulp, acrylic, dye, and wood that together create the multidimensional faces of women of color throughout the St. Louis area.

This selection of The Smile Series was created by Triggy to display at STL and as a way to spark conversation and challenge traditional societal views of women, particularly the need for women to smile despite what they may be enduring in their personal lives. All five women in the exhibition are featured without smiling. The absence of a smile helps convey the message that women are not just for show, but have an important role in changing the narrative of many social settings.

Each individual in the series are part of a progressive change for the city’s narrative, active in leading the communities and striving to make a difference. Triggy focuses on the strengths and actions of her subjects and brings them to life through her conversations with them. As the women modeled for their portrait, Triggy conversed with them to understand how their daily life reflected their triumphs and struggles, highlights from these conversations are featured alongside the artwork. Through her work, Triggy hopes to challenge every day assumptions and shift the conversation of women’s roles.