AFENISHAKUR
WOMEN OF THE ANTEBELLUM
Portrait 04 of 30 · Limited Edition of 25
Wearable Art Edition
Women of the Antebellum is a portrait series by Kay Douglas highlighting women who led revolutions in their own right. The series honors women whose courage, influence, resistance, and contributions have helped shape the lives and histories of generations that followed.
This portrait honors Afeni Shakur.
THE ARTWORK
Each portrait in Women of the Antebellum begins as a digital drawing created on an iPad using Adobe Fresco, incorporating graphite and ink pens to build the gradual changes in value that give each portrait its depth.
The artwork is created through three distinct layers. The first two layers establish the drawing and variations in value, while a hand-drawn print layer is incorporated to add another level of texture and depth to the portrait.
For the T-shirt, all three layers are brought together on the front, presenting the completed portrait.
The back reveals the raw portrait layers used to create the final image. Alongside these layers are four to five historical facts about Afeni Shakur's life, presented with the visual language of a vintage tour T-shirt.
The intention is to allow the wearer to experience both the finished portrait and the artistic process behind it, while also learning more about the woman represented.
The artwork uses a restrained palette of grays, blacks, and white. The white garment was intentionally selected to complement the grayscale artwork and the vintage finish of the shirt, creating a clean foundation for the portrait while supporting the character and stories of the women represented throughout the series.
The vintage hem and washed finish reinforce the worn-in, archival quality of the garment, allowing the piece to feel less like a conventional graphic T-shirt and more like a wearable piece of the portrait series.
EDITION DETAILS
Artist: Kay Douglas
Series: Women of the Antebellum
Subject: Afeni Shakur
Portrait: 04 of 30
Edition: 25 pieces
Print Technique: DTG (Direct-to-Garment)
Artwork Placement: Front + Back
QR Code: Sleeve
Print Size: 40 × 52 cm
Only 25 pieces of the Afeni Shakur portrait will be produced in this edition.
THE QR CODE
A QR code is placed on the sleeve, connecting the physical garment to additional information about the portrait and the woman it represents.
This creates another point of connection between the artwork, its history, and the person wearing it.
THE GARMENT
Item Number: RT0022
Gender: Unisex
Fit: Loose / relaxed
Fabric: 100% cotton
Weight: 12.7 oz/yd² (430 g/m²)
Construction: Heavyweight cotton
Thickness: Thick
Neckline: Round neck / O-neck
Sleeves: Short sleeve
Shoulders: Drop shoulder
Finish: Washed with vintage / frayed hem detailing
CARE
Machine wash at 30°C on a gentle cycle.
Do not bleach.
Tumble dry low.
Iron at low temperature; avoid ironing directly on the print.
Do not dry clean.
THE SERIES
Women of the Antebellum is a collection of 30 portraits.
Each woman is represented through the same layered artistic process while receiving her own portrait, historical narrative, and visual treatment.
The collection is designed to be experienced one portrait at a time.
30 women.
30 portraits.
30 stories.
Each limited to 25 pieces.