‘How Often Are You Photographed Without Your Permission?’ It Depends How You Look

Dreary brown and gray outfits filled the Ralph Arnold Gallery, located at 1131 W. Sheridan Rd., Thursday evening — until a neon green silhouette appeared. 

In her signature animal patterned catsuit, red lip and high heel ensemble, Ayana Evans showcased her exhibit April 3 — curated by the 2024-2025 Artist and Scholar-in-Residence Jessica Lanay — “How Often Are You Photographed Without Your Permission?”

Exploring self-liberation through unfiltered expression, Evans, who grew up on Chicago’s South Side, said being on a university campus, she knows students didn’t come to the exhibit to judge — they came to learn.

Evans said being completely herself looks like sitting on the floor with her close friend and art wife “jiggling fat,” which is the artist’s description of second-year Sophia Tripp’s favorite work in the gallery, “Cellulite.”

On a mounted TV, a video of Evans and interdisciplinary artist Tsedaye Makonnen reflecting on their bodies played. The exhibit’s pamphlet encourages visitors to sit on mats surrounded by a nest of pillows featuring lyrics in Amharic and English from an African American spiritual titled, “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” — a liberation song. 

Tripp said she felt Evans’ energy the moment she walked in the room, acknowledging the artist’s mission to help people be authentically themselves. 

“I felt like I found someone who was similar to me,” Tripp said. “I want to be completely myself so that others are free to be completely themselves.” 

Tripp, a sociology major, said her classes have allowed her to become more aware of how people interact with the world around them. Additionally, she said her ceramics courses have given her the opportunity to think about sociology creatively.

Creativity is something Lanay, the exhibit’s curator, brings to work with her each day, along with representation. 

Despite questions regarding her credibility as an artist and scholar, Lanay said she prefers promoting inclusion in her work. Being a woman of color, Lanay said students often assume she’s not a professor or they’ll walk into her office and ask if it’s hers. 

“When I can stick to my purpose and stick to the goal of the day and not be thrown off track that’s the goal for me,” Lanay said. “I’ve been Black all my life and there hasn’t been a day that this hasn’t happened to me.”

While Lanay said she doesn’t immediately correct the actions of those who doubt her, Evans said her art is an outward rejection of judgments made based on gender bias, misogyny and racism. 

“There’s revenge built in,” Evans said. “I don’t have to do anything I don’t want to do.” 

One of Evans’ wants is to be seen.

“Operation Catsuit” allows Evans to be completely herself with no filter. Headphones hang underneath a different mounted TV, inviting attendees to watch and listen as she crashes exhibits in New York. As the video plays, Evans is followed closely by a friend who confronts people taking nonconsensual photos of her in the green catsuit. 

“It’s always interesting to me how you position yourself literally can also literally change how a space feels, how people react to you, and then how much power you think you have in a space,” Evans said. 

Most of Evans’ self-portrait photography comes about when she’s traveling the world on residencies. During her time at the Yaddo, an artists’ community in New York, Evans completed a series of photographs titled, “Diva Falling,” “Diva Resting” and “Diva, It All Worked Out.” 

While in Morocco, Evans said she began to mix her fashion background with her painting expertise to complete “Morocco I” and “Morocco II.” 

The artist, who holds a Master of Fine Arts in painting from Tyler School of Art at Temple University, said she approaches her photographs through a painter’s lens now that she’s her own canvas. 

“I Am On A Ladder In Heelz” was taken during a secluded residency in the forest. This photograph includes bright colored fabrics against a weathered basketball hoop and tall brown grass. It’s hard to imagine how these elements coexist, just as it’s hard to imagine how Evans climbed a wooden ladder in heels and her signature catsuit. 

“All of those colors were like a good painting,” Evans said of her photographs.  

Evans said she had to reintroduce herself to the art world after taking time away and, being a performance artist, has been through several iterations to find her stride. 

One group of people who have known a very consistent Evans are her family members and close friends, including Michelle Johnson. Knowing each other for nearly two decades, Johnson said she’s had the privilege to watch Evans develop into herself. 

“She’s always her vibrant self, her outspokenness, her light, that boldness has always been there,” Johnson said. “I dont think it’s so much a change for her, I just think it’s a change for me seeing that side of her and being able to experience the live performances.” 

Evans will host a live performance of “Operation Catsuit: Chicago” at the Ralph Arnold Arts Annex April 10 at 6 p.m.

“How Often Are You Photographed Without Your Permission?” is on display through May 10.