INNER DIALOGUE (preview)
New Works by PhenomenaLewis
April 9 - 29, 2022
opening April 9, 6 - 8 pm

presented by The Honey Pump

The Honey Pump is pleased to present INNER DIALOGUE (preview), a preview of a series of new photographs by PhenomenaLewis. As a continuation of Lewis’s investigation into self-portraiture, these staged portraits confront the viewer through evocative, highly saturated colors using digital chiaroscuro—shading of light and dark—and Afro Cogitatio, a term coined by the artist. PhenomenaLewis elaborates on the term Afro Cogitatio, “Cogitatio is a Latin word meaning to meditate, reflect, or think and since I am of Afro origin I reflect on myself in every way I can to reach a total understanding of who I am.” Born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti and based between Connecticut and New York, her works reflect lived spiritual, political, and sociological experiences with the African Diaspora. Lewis’s practice begins with poetry and preparatory drawings—which are works in their own right—that evolve through research into symbols, language, sociology, and cultural heritage.

The two works previewed here “The Replacement of Pain” and “Simply Existing” employ digital collage, 3D rendered components, and photography. With a background in oil painting, Lewis uses photoshop as if it were a painting tool—brushing on color, and playing with tonal relationships across the picture plane. Both titles are inspired by preparatory writing and poetry by the artist, in which Lewis writes, “I want to cease the self doubt and negative thoughts to pull myself out in liberation. I was to simply exist and let things be...”, as well as, “And all of the stress in my neck erased.” The photographs depict heightened and emotionally altered states of vulnerability and self-reflection. The subject of both photographs wears a headwrap adorned as respect for God in the artist’s spiritual practices. Clothing is fashioned from bed sheets to elicit the warmth and safe space of one’s own room. As the artist notes “I feel that comfort is such a pleasant state of mind and makes it easier to properly observe and analyze the self.” Displayed proudly at Home Gallery, visible to all who walk by on Grand Street in the Lower East Side, these works encourage meditation and full immersion from the viewer.

Lewis Derogene, known under the moniker PhenomenaLewis, has recently exhibited her work in Beyond Beauty: the ideal form, mad LAB, Norwalk, CT, 2020; Bathing in Blackness, SoMad, New York, NY, 2020; LIC Live Art – Performance Art Festival, Long Island City, NY, 2020; Veiled Art Show, TBG Gallery NY, 2019; Satellite Art Show, NY, 2019; GI Porta/, Governor’s Island, NY, 2019; Conception Art Show, NY, 2019; Fridge Art Fair, NY, 2018; The Living Gallery Outpost, NY, 2018; Fantasy in Color Gallery, NY, 2017; Black History Month exhibition, SVA, 2017; SVA's Student Center, NY 2017; Street Seats, outdoor exhibition, Stamford, CT 2014. She wrote Beyond Beauty: the ideal form – Manifesto in 2020, self-published a book titled THE intro in 2019, and her poetry from 2016 to 2020 is available to read on her website PhenomenaLewis.com. She graduated from the School of Visual Arts with a BFA in Fine Arts in 2019 with Honors.

For all inquiries, please contact Eda Li at eda@thehoneypump.com and visit www.thehoneypump.com.