giovannaeley.com
Gigieley@gmail.com
My Little Hell Raiser Install
Neon, Enameled Metal, Oil on Canvas, Risograph, Synthetic Hair, and Faux Branch
Installation-Variety of sizes
2026
My Little Hell Raiser Install
Paper, MDF, and Faux Moss
Variety of sizes
2026
When I was 18, I created Helena and her town, Cloudlandia, a place set in the steampunk sky. It began as a short animation. While developing her, I asked myself: What if there was a Black woman Deadpool living in the world of Adventure Time? Helena emerged, a Black woman with light grey hair and a sunset orange dress that makes her deep bronze skin stand out. She inhabits a time that feels almost steampunk medieval, yet includes elements reminiscent of the early 2000s through the 2010s within a fantastical setting. The era feels distant and unreal, while still retaining a touch of familiarity. Helena carries a silver-bladed sword made from forest fairies, with live forest green vines as the handle.
Helena also wears bright purple and periwinkle flower hairclips that, with the push of a button, transform into eye-piercing ninja stars. Among her deadly weapons is The Man in the Yellow Hat, bright yellow rocket-powered bookbag covered in pins and charms from her travels. It features an AI touchscreen that helps her organize her chaotic life as a vigilante. She never leaves behind her iconic iPod Classic, listening to her favorite tunes as she prepares for battle; music is essential grounding for big fights. Her gear serves not just as functional tools but as extensions of her identity and powerful storytelling devices. These objects act as performative props that carry memory, revealing how physical material can act as a portal for deeper engagement.
My work centers on Black representation in fantasy.I created a shift in the narrative like so many other underappreciated narratives before me. In the first issue of the comic, you see a glimpse of Helena’s trauma and her motivation for killing monsters, but you also see the fun and humorous moments, adding a layer of complexity to her as a person.
Giovanna Eley is a New Jersey–based multidisciplinary artist dedicated to amplifying Black voices and experiences within womanhood while confronting their historical underrepresentation in art, culture, and memory. Inspired by artists like Harmonia Rosales, she reinterprets these influences through her process called a “narrative ecosystem,” combining digital comics, oil paintings, prints, and 3D elements such as fine metals. At the core of her practice is the belief that art is a powerful storytelling tool for reimagining histories and creating new mythologies. Through her work, Giovanna challenges dominant narratives while celebrating the depth and beauty of Black identity through a visual language that feels both personal and generational.
