My name is Jhamir Rahsaan and I am currently in my junior year of high school at Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School. I was born in Queens, NY and have spent a majority of my life alternating between Harlem and Williamsburg with my mother and father. Growing up with my family definitely had its bumps in the road, seeing as we don’t come from a luxurious background, and has probably shaped me into the artist that I am today. My childhood was mainly enhanced by my great-grandmother, where we lived in Bushwick on Humbolt Street. I eventually started living with my mother and father more frequently at the age of 6, where I would continue to alternate between the two. When I was younger, my mother and I moved around quite often due to jobs, rent, landlords, and housing conditions. We moved back to Williamsburg when I was about 8 or 9 and we currently live there today. During my time with my father, I have lived in the same apartment with him in Harlem for all my life. Growing up, it was harder to establish a relationship with my father due to physical distance and different interests and views on certain topics. After leaving Brooklyn public schools and migrating over to a private school in East Harlem, things became more difficult in my relationship with my parents and I needed a way to express my thoughts. First, I picked up music [guitar to be specific] and used it to talk about how I felt in certain situations and circumstances. After learning the guitar, bass, some music theory, and songwriting, I picked up photography to give visuals to what I referenced in my music. I also used photography to establish a better relationship with my father, who is an experienced freelance photographer and has been working with cameras since the 90’s. After gaining my own experience, I was able to develop the skill of telling stories and sending messages through photography, a skill I intend to use in my future as an artist.
My project consists of subjects that are shown against a vivid blue sky. I chose to use this theme as a way to express the phrase “never look down, always look up” by showing these elevated or arial subjects. As someone who grew up without many privileges, I have learned to look to a better future and always attempt to achieve my dreams. Aside from me just liking the color blue, I use blue to give off a hopeful vibe in my photography. Although blue is generally associated with sadness, I use it as a symbol of happiness and serenity. I’m not making an attempt to change the mood of blue, but I do want to show people how easily background colors can have different meanings, skewing away from the traditional.