Triggered: Rick Vaughn
Interview by Terrence Phearse
At 13 years old, my grandmother’s home was a refuge for me. It was a space where I was permitted to desert all of the pseudo-masculine armor and mannerisms a Black boy from the South was expected to uphold. I was provided with the freedom to be myself and abandon the societal norms expected from me. I spent the weekends there planting roses in her garden and preening in vintage gold-framed mirrors. These short-stays allowed for an identity to be discovered and cultivated. This self-portrait serves as an ode to self-discovery and self acceptance. I’ve always maintained a demure presence, almost obscure. For once, I wanted to display how I felt in those gold-framed mirrors in southeast Texas.
