Ifetayo Cobbins

Presented by Operation Unite NY

January 6 - 25, 2021

Ify Cobbins, an accomplished painter and poet, is presenting several large paintings in one window, over 2 dozen small works inside WOH, and selected poems through video.  Cobbin’s paintings are a place for her to relax her mind and unfocus.  She examines both the power of black women and seeing beyond the obvious.  Her practice involves, “playing a game with what I see.  I like to see how far I can go into the things I see.  I unfocus.  I let my hand go where it goes.  I then look at what was drawn and see if I can go deeper.  You can go deep into the paper if you can focus your mind and go deep down the rabbit hole.  I want to see things using another lens.”  When speaking of the “Ladies” who sometimes dominate her paintings, Cobbin’s says, “the Ladies represent power and strength.  They are also mysterious.  There is a mystery about black people - about black women.  We go through so much nonsense but we still stand in the end.  Where do we get the strength from to not give up?”  

Cobbins concentrates more intently on the experiences of black women and men with her poetry.  Writing starts when, “a situation comes up and tells me it needs to be written about.  I focus.  I must put things in a way people can understand.  I don’t want to sting with what I say but the writing is me screaming out, ‘Why is no one seeing this!?’  I’ve got to speak.  ‘Wake up.  How many times do I have to tell you this for it to get through your head?  Inequality!  What’s so hard to understand about it?’  I write until I’m exhausted.  Then I have to move on.”   

About Operation Unite NY

Operation Unite NY has served the Hudson Valley community for twenty-eight years. A majority of its youth empowerment programs focus on residents of Hudson that are underserved. Eighty percent of Operation Unite's constituents are people of color. Operation Unite sees a direct and positive relationship between education, exposure to the arts, and vocational training in the arts which leads to growth in the socio-economic development and agency of all members of our community. More information can be found at operationuniteny.com.