My name is Onyx (Onisha Alamgir). I am the eldest daughter, and a first generation immigrant to my Bengali parents. I have lived in New Jersey for my entire life. As long as I can remember, I have always been amazed that another human being can make something so personal and honest to themselves, and then be brave enough to share themselves to the world . I always wanted to be an artist.
However, I could not afford simple pencils and paper. My family, teachers, and even a professor here, told me that it would be a useless endeavor to pursue the arts. I do not know who is a bigger idiot, those people, or me for listening to them. I realized that I no longer wish to watch the life I wanted to pursue, pass by me, that is not living. If I were to be a failure at least I chose to be a failure on my own terms. At least I tried my best before crashing down.
I believe that the arts and humanities is crucial for a world that wants to limit human expression. Artists produce works that let us know what is at the forefront of our society’s consciousness, that we cannot put into words yet ourselves.
In my own personal experience, growing up in post- 9/11, and in navigating a culture that wants to label people as the “other”, I realized how crucial it is to see the experiences of those who are considered “other”. And that any one of us could be the “other”, or the population of people the country wants to treat as an afterthought. If we still do not understand what it is like to be the other, the arts can show us the perspective for those who do not have a voice. Art is a tool that can help us broaden our world view and extend our understanding as to what humanity has to offer, or can be capable of.
Even in my first years of life, I have always felt like the “other” or an afterthought, never fully a person. Or someone who was worth listening to. Therefore, I have nothing of value to offer, but through making art, I have come to realize that my experiences are just as valuable as anyone else’s. My experiences at this moment in time, feels indescribable to me. It’s like carrying this illness where I feel everything all at once, constantly. Through art, I can communicate with others that very feeling. I can show others a glimpse into my world.
In my works, I try my best to make the viewer feel as though they can perceive the presence behind it. For one moment, you can understand what being alive is like for a person like me. My ultimate goal is wanting to experience all spectrum of emotion, and what it feels like to be alive, from the honest hideousness, to hopeful optimism, I want to feel it all. To me, that is what true freedom means to someone, who has been dehumanized their whole life. It is through my art I can gain the control over my own narrative, and no one will ever take that away from me again.
