Missing Pieces 2020

Kayla Mahaffey created “Missing Pieces” in the 21st century, although the medium isn’t specified, its effect suggests it was painted with bright colors and bold lines. Here, Mahaffey has used visual metaphors to explore the experience of a young Black person, perhaps a boy. The puzzle pieces on his face could symbolize the feeling of being incomplete or misunderstood, as though something essential is missing. The bright colors and cartoonish figures surrounding the central figure create a playful yet unsettling atmosphere. In the United States, there is a history of representing Black people in popular media. The art raises questions about identity, representation, and the pressures faced by young people. The artist makes the viewer consider the role of the media in constructing or deconstructing identities. Researching media representations of race, social and cultural influences on identity formation, and the artist’s biography could shed more light on the meaning of this very contemporary work.