Photograph by Robyn Twomey
Felice Belle is obsessed with the healing properties of storytelling and the concept of narrative identity. In the spirit of Arundhati Roy’s quote “There’s really no such thing as the ‘voiceless.’ There are only the deliberately silenced, or the preferably unheard,” her work explores how we can use art to rewrite prevailing narratives and amplify new ones. “Martha’s Vineyard has a special place in my heart as a near-mythical haven for Black arts and culture. I am very much a city girl, but nothing compares to these Island views. To sit and write by the water here is restorative. The legacy of the Island makes me feel like I am living history.” Felice Belle is the author of “Viscera” (Etruscan Press 2023) and Artists Network Director for the global nonprofit Narrative 4. As a poet and playwright, she has performed at the Apollo Theater, Joe’s Pub, and TEDWomen. The flower headpiece worn in this portrait was made by Island artist Elisabeth Sheldon.