EMMANUEL MASSILON

Growing up in Washington, D.C., I was raised in a food desert—a place where access to fresh, nutritious food was scarce, but corner stores and ice cream trucks were everywhere. One of the most popular snacks in my neighborhood was sunflower seeds. They weren’t just a treat; for many of us, they were breakfast. What kept us coming back wasn’t the seeds themselves, but the sodium. The salt content was addictive. I watched kids crave it so much, they’d eat sunflower seeds before even thinking about a real meal. That routine—shaped by a lack of access to places like Whole Foods—deeply influenced how we understood hunger, nutrition, and care.

In my sunflower seed paintings, I reflect on these early experiences while weaving in the spiritual and cultural legacy of the African diaspora. I collage together African figures drawn from various tribes and traditions, each representing the enduring spirit, beauty, and diversity of Black identity. Their colors, sizes, and patterns speak to the richness and complexity within Black culture—both historically and today.

By placing these figures in conversation with sunflower seeds and the symbolism of sodium, I aim to examine how systemic issues like food deserts and poor nutrition have shaped the Black American diet—often leading to conditions like heart disease and high blood pressure. These works become visual conversations about survival, consumption, health, and cultural inheritance.

As an artist, I resist traditional aesthetics and embrace experimental materials. I want the viewer to pause and wonder: is this a painting, or something else? That moment of uncertainty is intentional—it invites deeper engagement, a closer look, and a willingness to question what lies beneath the surface.

This body of work is a call to reflect on how our environments shape our habits, our health, and our collective well-being—and how food access, or the lack of it, continues to impact Black communities across the U.S.