A.V. Wayans is a New York native and Brooklyn-based visual artist, anthropologist, and oral historian whose work bridges the disciplines of illustration, ethnographic writing, and griot tradition. Rooted in observation, her hand-drawn imagery uses contour lines to create form and texture, offering a nuanced lens of the world around her. Often paired with narrative text, A.V.’s work integrates ethnographic methods and interview-style reflections to center the voices and experiences of her narrators.
Her practice foregrounds the challenges of her community, highlighting socio-economic disparity, class, gender, race, faith, and health. Through this interdisciplinary approach, she invites viewers to join her in spaces of empathy, dialogue, and deep cultural reflection, aiming to foster community through shared stories and the arts.
Having obtained her M.A in Oral History from Columbia University, A.V’s thesis, “When You’re Hurting | When You’re Healing”, is an extensive body of work that showcases the stories of four Black women in NYC in 2016. Documenting their oral histories from 2020 to 2026, A.V unpacks how hurting and healing are not absent from one another. The thesis aims to encourage integrational conversation amongst Black women to dismantle the unhealthy practice of silencing in her community.
A.V is currently using her background in arts education to create a curriculum that combines visual arts practice and reflective writing with somatic stretching. The purpose of this workshop is to give Black women the opportunity to experience art, reflect on their relationship with their bodies, and engage with healing practices through a physical practice.
