Vitoria Byrne Imagination Fund Application — Water Goddess Garment

Artist statement

My project is based on the idea of using design as a bridge between indigenous story telling and personal identity. In this project I would love to take a deep dive on the relationship between, Iara the the mother of the waters, Yemanja and the legend of the Vitoria Regia. Three different water goddess that emerge through Afro Brazilian and indigenous story telling in Brazil Ive included a project timeline along with some inspiration images that are guiding this project. I believe this work is important because legends are fundamental to human existence. Before there was written word there was spoken word, and that is how stories, legends, secrets, warnings and blessings were passed down for generations. My goal is to create a garment and have the final product be a zine with images of the garment and information of the legend of Iara, Yemanja and the Vitoria Regia to inspire the local community of Philadelphia where Im currently based.