Lady Liberty is a portraiture series which references The Statue of Liberty and acknowledges its origins. Gifted to the United States of America, by France, The Statue of Liberty was created with the intention of celebrating the emancipation of enslaved people. However, as time progressed, its meaning also has been changed.

Therefore, in this work, Lesego Seoketsa reappropriates Lady Liberty's image to emphasise the themes of black liberation, with the intention of remembering the statue's original purpose. Seoketsa embodies the role of Lady Liberty to explore the topics of black women liberation in modern society. 

The Statue of Liberty symbolised freedom and the abolition of slavery, yet the irony is that the United States of America built its economy on the system of slavery. Enslaved people were shipped from Africa, yet the 7 pointed crown symbolises freedom for all continents. 

With a rich history of slavery and segregation, The Statue of Liberty should serve as a reminder to Americans that the emancipation and liberation of black enslaved people is a signifier of the country's progress. However, even within the land of the free, minorities are not treated with equality, or granted the same privileges.

In learning the symbolism and history of the statue, inspiration arose within Seoketsa to create Lady Liberty, with the intention of finding out what it means to be a black woman who experiences freedom in this present day society. What cultural values are being created by society for the furthering of black liberation and the empowerment of women?