Symphonii Smith-Kennedy is a 23-year-old Jamaican-American artist from South Florida, exploring themes of identity, race, and queerness through her painting. A graduate of New World School of the Arts, she creates art that reflects on her experiences as a Black queer woman and aims to build connections through her work.
Symphonii’s debut solo show, Interwoven Layers: A Garden of Self Discovery, took place at Pompano Beach’s Bailey Contemporary Arts Center in April, and took viewers on a personal journey of self-exploration, blending themes of identity, vulnerability, and experience, especially for those tied to being queer and BIPOC.
For Smith-Kennedy, art is more than just creation; it is about connection. With this show, her goal was to remind people that they aren’t alone in their struggles, encouraging viewers to embrace the beauty of authenticity. This exhibition invited people into her world and showed them that they could face their challenges unapologetically.
Exploring Feminism, Blackness, and Queerness Through Art
Smith-Kennedy’s art is deeply connected to her identity, with vulnerability at the heart of every piece. Interwoven Layers is a collection of painted self portraits, mystic creatures, and nature that show the raw, unfiltered aspects of life that often remained hidden.
By sharing her own personal experiences and struggles, Smith-Kennedy opens up space for viewers to connect and understand the complexities of identity. She hopes this exhibition allowed others to see themselves in her work and know that it was okay to be vulnerable.
Being both queer and Afro-Caribbean, Smith-Kennedy’s art reflects the intersectionality of her experience.
“It was hard to make one piece solely represent a group of people, especially when we weren’t a monolith,” she said.
Rather than generalizing the experiences of her community, Smith-Kennedy’s work speaks to the specific, real-life stories of those who were too often overlooked or misrepresented. Her paintings are a voice for the marginalized, challenging societal norms and pushing boundaries to reflect diverse and complex identities.
Through her work, Smith-Kennedy wants people to know that vulnerability isn’t a weakness, but a powerful strength.
“The baggage that you carry is not a bad thing,” she shared. “It’s not for you to carry alone.” She encourages viewers to embrace their true selves and face their life challenges with confidence. Interwoven Layers wasn’t just an art exhibition; it was an invitation to connect with the rawness of being human and to embrace the beauty of authenticity, no matter what baggage or struggles people may carry.
Challenges of Being a Queer/BIPOC Artist in South Florida
Being a queer, Black artist in a conservative place like South Florida comes with its challenges. Smith-Kennedy says that censorship has impacted her work, particularly when it involved nudity or graphic content that addressed sensitive topics like gender and race.
“The hardest thing I dealt with was the constant censorship of my work,” she said, noting that her pieces, which challenge conventional norms, are often ignored or undervalued. Despite this, she continues to create and push boundaries, making her art a powerful statement on resilience and self-expression.
Interwoven Layers wasn’t just about the artist’s own vulnerability; it was a call for everyone to embrace their authenticity. Smith-Kennedy hopes the exhibition inspired people to open up, be themselves, and share their own untold stories.
“It was about showing people that it was okay to not be perfect, and it was okay to share your untold stories, no matter how difficult they might have been,” she said. By being honest and vulnerable in her art, she created a space where everyone could feel seen and heard through her use of bold imagery, vibrant colors, and eye-catching brush strokes.
