BioArts
In recent years, Dr. Jeyifous has developed a bioarts practice that fuses elements of his scientific research with photographic portraiture and digital collage. His first solo exhibition, S is for Soul Sister, hosted at the Arts Incubator in Chicago, reimagined and honored the subjects of the 1970 Black ABC Card series, a set of educational materials and visual aids originally photographed in the Harold Ickes Homes on Chicago’s near South Side.
For this project, Dr. Jeyifous captured contemporary portraits of several original card subjects and created digital collages incorporating microscopic images of their own cells. These cellular images, obtained via cheek swabs, were collected at the same time the participants recorded oral histories about their lives during the era in which the Black ABC cards were created. This project interweaves molecular identity with personal narrative, reclaiming visual and cultural representations through a scientific and artistic lens.
Dr. Jeyifous is currently developing two new bioarts projects. The first explores the biological and emotional processes of memory encoding and the ways we ascribe meaning to “place”. The second focuses on the lived experiences of people who stutter. Both projects reflect a STEAM-based approach to visual storytelling, blending science, technology, and art to create new modes of narrative expression.
This work represents a novel form of visual narrative construction and a creative strategy for engaging the public in scientific ideas. By linking personal experience with biological insight, these projects aim to enrich public discourse and broaden awareness of contemporary research and scientific principles.