The Kali Walker, 2017, $20,000. Aluminum walker, PVC frame, and reused textiles and notions. 72" x 56" x 36". Photo by Heidi Marie Photography.

The Kali Walker is based on the many faces of the Kali, from her roles as the goddess of time and empowerment to beloved mother to a symbol of fury and destruction. This sculpture is a product of two years of rage. During her construction I dealt with my best friend’s violent death in a hate crime, serious health issues that my doctors dismissed, and the deep-seated ugliness of racism and hatred of the "other".

The form is built on an aluminum walker and a reused PVC pipe frame. Her body is formed from coffee canisters and priority mail boxes, and she is skinned in old leather jackets, purses, pants, and bits of sofa. She is edged in remnant zipper teeth and bejeweled with broken jewelry, donated trim and semi-precious stones.