Sai Of Relief
I was born and raised in Philadelphia, a city that taught me resilience, rhythm, and truth. My art and music are shaped by its heartbeat. The sounds of struggle and celebration, of stories whispered through alleyways and painted on cracked walls. My work carries the color, the movement, and the passion. I create to honor where I come from, to find beauty in the broken, and to turn survival into something sacred. It’s my hope to serve and honor the world by using art to express my own experience and the experiences of others. In hopes that it inspires connectivity and healing. That it reminds us of our shared humanity.
Awarded Grants
2025
Art and Change Grant (ACG)
Related grantees
Overview
Sai Of Relief’s project, Love and the Badlands, reimagines Kensington, a Philadelphia neighborhood often defined by hardship, as a place of resilience, connection, and beauty. Through a series of paintings that blend realism and abstraction, Sai will capture portraits, street scenes, and intimate moments that honor the love and solidarity found within her community. As both a lifelong and current Kensington resident, she will walk the neighborhood weekly over three months, gathering stories, photographs, and testimonies from neighbors and friends to inform each piece. The resulting body of work will culminate in a public art show celebrating Kensington’s residents for the care and humanity they bring to their environment.