"Supreme Supreme"

Mixed Media on Archival Paper
30 x 34 inches
*contact for all inquiries

"Supreme Supreme" is part of Butler's May 2025 solo exhibition titled Unheard (Unherd). Unheard (Unherd) is Zsavon Butler’s conceptual response to the ongoing erosion of women’s reproductive rights in the United States. The title carries a dual meaning: “Unheard” speaks to the silencing of women—our voices dismissed, our autonomy disregarded—while “Unherd” plays on the idea of women being controlled and corralled, much like cattle.

By drawing this parallel, Butler points to the unsettling concept of women being "herded"—stripped of agency, directed by external forces, and denied the right to make decisions over their own bodies. The comparison may seem stark, but it serves to highlight the deeper issue: the systemic control and suppression of women’s freedom.

Through the use of symbolism, environmental elements, and layered metaphor, Butler carves out a space of resistance and reflection—an emotional landscape where grief, rage, and determination coexist. Her work invites viewers to confront uncomfortable truths and to see the broader implications of these restrictions—not only as legal or political shifts, but as profound human rights violations.

While the metaphor of herding underscores the lack of autonomy, Butler acknowledges that the real-life consequences of these restrictions are far more complex, impacting physical health, mental well-being, and generational futures. In Unheard (Unherd), she asks: what happens when we are no longer allowed to choose for ourselves and what are the consequences?