Projects | Detester Magazine

Sera Mohammed

Age: 19, Location: Toronto, Canada

This was just a fun piece for me to draw because I love to draw curvier body types and I believe that they also deserve to represented as beautiful. Just because someone is bigger does not mean they have to be ugly until they lose weight, beauty comes in all sizes. I added vitiligo just for that extra step in inclusion and diversity.

I drew this right around the time of Blackout Tuesday. This was meant to show my solidarity to the cause and I used the caption to speak up about my opinions on the hypocrisy of the art community surrounding BIPOC.

This was a redraw of a piece I did in late 2019. It shows how much I have improved as an artist and that even when you think your art has peaked and that you’ve made your best work, there’s always room for improvement. I know that my dedication to my craft is paying off as i continue to watch my improvements over time.

1. Introduce yourself!

I’m a 19 year old digital artist. I’ve been doing art as long as I’ve been alive but only got into it seriously at the beginning of high school. I was born, raised, and continue to live in a suburban town in the north GTA. I did live in ottawa for a few months while i attended the university of ottawa (first year cut short due to coved-19) my cultural background is Trinidadian as i am a first generation Canadian on my dads side and second gen on my moms.

2. How have you identified yourself as a BIPOC individual through your creative work?

By drawing other POC as well as trying to bring my culture into my art and writing. Not long ago, I also started a podcast (Midnight Mayhem) with a friend from Colombia where we occasionally talk about our culture and traditions.

3. How has your creative work allowed you to express yourself?

I love bringing color into the world. My art allows me to share my perspective and give the world a dreamlike quality I wish it had. One of my favorite things to draw are faces; I love finding beauty in people and conveying emotion through their expressions.

4. What is your stance on BIPOC representation in the media?

I think it is slowly getting better but I hope that with the BLM movement people open their eyes to all the changes that have to be made. I’ve recently found a couple of shows such as Gentefied, that finally showcases latinos as real people and not just a side character or stereotype.

5. How has your culture influenced your work and who you are today?

It has made me the hardworking individual that I am today. The warmth and colorful culture back home definitely shows on my color palette choices most of the time.

6. What do you like to do in your free time?

Besides art I love to dance ballet, read, cook, and go for long walks.