via: self
Notes:
Tschabalala Self’s Bodega Run series, created at Two Palms, offers a vivid and energetic examination of contemporary urban life through the lens of the neighborhood bodega—a familiar, everyday site in many Black and brown communities. Self uses this series to merge figuration with abstraction, crafting bold, colorful compositions that emphasize the textures and materiality of her mixed-media approach. Through layered prints, painted surfaces, and collage elements, Self transforms the mundane into the monumental. Her figures, often exaggerated and assertive in form, dominate the space with presence and personality, reclaiming a sense of agency in environments that are frequently overlooked.
What stands out in Bodega Run is Self’s ability to fuse humor, sensuality, and critique into a single image. Her characters—often mid-stride or caught in the act of selecting items—embody a sense of autonomy and self-assurance. The bodega itself becomes both a backdrop and a stage for these moments of intimate daily ritual. Through her bold palette and stylized distortion of the body, Self challenges traditional representations of the Black figure, rejecting realism in favor of expression. Her use of collage also mirrors the layered, often chaotic visual language of bodegas themselves, where advertisements, products, and signage compete for attention in tightly packed spaces.
At its core, Bodega Run is both a celebration and a subtle critique—highlighting the cultural significance of the bodega while also suggesting the socio-economic constraints embedded within it. By elevating a commonplace experience to the realm of fine art, Self asks the viewer to reconsider the value and meaning of spaces shaped by working-class life. Her work resists simplification; it invites multiple readings and reasserts the importance of visual storytelling that centers Black identity and culture in all its complexity. The series not only reaffirms Self’s signature style but also demonstrates her continued commitment to capturing the nuances of lived experience.
- RJG