SaveArtSpace is proud to present Ode to Womanhood, a public art exhibition on billboard ad space in New York, NY, opening August 7, 2026, curated by Ceres (Diaja).

The Ode to Womanhood selected artist is Sasha Lynn Roberts.

We live in a world fixated on tainting what true womanhood is. From the overload of anti-aging ads to body-shaming and the obsession over women’s reproductive system. Sadly the list goes on. The opinions that have morphed into demands on how women should live their lives are a reality all women face. The question we need to ask ourselves is, “When will it end?” At what point will a generation of girls grow up loving the idea of growing old instead of dreading it, boldly choosing their careers instead of starting a family without backlash, and not being ridiculed for remaining unmarried or childless?

This is a call for society to honor womanhood in all of its authenticity, to take a backseat and let women be women. Collectively celebrating all the nuances and stages of womanhood. Welcoming submissions of all mediums that address the many facets of womanhood especially those that are counterculture.

Opening August 7, 2026, SaveArtSpace will launch a public art installation for the selected artwork on billboard ad space in New York, NY. The public art will be on view for at least four weeks. Billboard location announced on July 20, 2026.

Selected Artist

Sasha Lynn Roberts

Maintenance & Submariner

Location: Atlantic Ave & Utica Ave, Brooklyn, NY

Sasha Lynn Roberts is a surrealist contemporary artist born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. Roberts’ artwork is steeped in curiosity of nature, and how it relates to the feminine experience. Her art challenges the notion of making oneself smaller using the ocean, painting landscapes and portraits on recycled materials. Roberts parallels the scale and beauty of the earth with her perspective as a black woman.

Roberts has studied at two universities; NYU’s Tisch School Of The Arts and HUNTER College, where she learned how to blend her interest in media and interaction with illustration. Remarkably, she completed her Bachelor's degree in Interactive Media Arts in two years, at the age of 19.

At 13 years old, her charcoal still-life was featured in the Metropolitan Museum of Art for their annual PSART competition. This was only the beginning, as she returned to the MET in 2019 to be celebrated for her conté crayon self-portrait. She continued- notably in the Whistling In the Dark group exhibition calling attention to climate change curated by artists Swoon and Gianni Lee, where her piece, Gaia, adorned a Brooklyn billboard for a year. In 2022, she started the year off with a Six Summit Gallery collaboration, where her colorful portraits of women were featured in Time Square's Port Authority Terminal Window Display. This was followed by an honorable mention at the International Technological Art Awards, distinguishing her as a finalist among 836 entries spanning 72 countries. Soon after, her work was featured in the Coffey Park Gowanus Art Walk. The following year, Roberts contributed to The Flag Project at Rockefeller Center, sponsored by the United Nations Climate Justice Initiative where her artwork, Gaia, previously featured in Whistling In The Dark, was reprised. Following an argument and subsequent art commission for Kanye West in 2024, the surrealist digital painting Good Art appeared in London for Boomer Gallery’s The Dark Side Biennial, as well as in Los Angeles for Delaney George's group exhibition, Indelible Imprints. The same year, Roberts’ fashion illustrations were featured in New York Fashion Week, hosted by Art Hearts Fashion at the Angel Orensanz Foundation. July 2024, Roberts’ painting, Home, earned her a place as a cover and featured artist for the Jamaica Center For Arts and Learning’s Afro-LatinoMixtape Exhibit- a show centered around Afro-Diasporic music and its effect on artists and culture. She was interviewed by Hyperallergic for this feature. In October 2024, she was featured in Hilo, Hawaii's Wailoa Center for her artwork Regarding The Pain Of Others- a surrealist piece comparing her depiction of a crab in a barrel to Susan Sontag’s identically titled essay contemplating portrayals of war and suffering. Subsequently, she was featured as a finalist artist for the Downtown Art Center’s Artists of Hawaii Exhibition. In December of 2024, she was featured in Miami Art Basel under Six Summit Gallery. In March 2025, Roberts was selected by the American Savings Bank’s Loi Gallery as a spotlight artist for oceanic digital illustrations, where 20% of her sales were contributed to a nonprofit dedicated to uplifting Hawaiian voices. That same month, Roberts was selected as a live painter for Los Angeles Fashion Week, and in September of that year, she would live paint once more during New York Fashion week. In October 2025, she would assist artist Blythe Yoshikane and the HDOT in painting the largest mural in Hawai’i to date- the Waipio Highway Mural on Kamehameha Highway. Additionally, she was featured in UH Manoa’s Insect Art Show. In November 2025, she was presented with the Arts to Hearts Woman artist award. In January 2026, she participated in the 10th anniversary art exhibition of the historic Honouliuli Park site. In March 2026, she completed a mural for Surfrider Foundation’s Ocean Friendly Garden. April 2026, Roberts collaborated with NYCParks to install a collaboration between Mural Artist Kobra, Andrew Unangst and Andy Warhol in Chelsea, Manhattan. June 2026, she was featured in the “We Gon Be Alright” group show from Taona house, followed by a solo exhibition and 8ft mural unveiling with The Scion Project. 

Beyond accolades and exhibitions, Roberts' work has resonated deeply with critics and multidisciplinary artists alike. Her pieces have been praised and shared by artists such as Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion, Kehlani, Kanye West, Rico Nasty, and Tierra Whack. 

Prints of the selected artworks can be found at www.sasheisty.com/maintenance and www.sasheisty.com/submariner.

Connect with Sasha at @sasheisty. 

Curator

Ceres, artistically known as Diaja, is a curator, philanthropist, and an award-winning Fine Art Portraiture and Conceptual Photographer. After graduating, and working nearly 7 years in the fashion industry, Ceres decided to fully dedicate herself to photography. Combining her love for fashion, painting, and photography, this shift led to an explosion of recognition, with her work celebrated by outlets like Vogue Italia, Huffington Post, and other prestigious publications.
Diaja's photography is renowned for its powerful storytelling through striking photographic series. She draws inspiration from nature, current events, African and Black culture, and social disparities. Through her work, she seeks to elevate underrepresented voices, challenge perspectives, and spark meaningful conversations. Committed to creating art that not only captivates but also provokes thought, Diaja aims to leave a lasting legacy as an artist whose work will be remembered alongside the greats.

Connect with Ceres (Diaja) at @artists.of.today or on TikTok at @Diaja.X.

SaveArtSpace

Founded in 2015, SaveArtSpace is a non-profit organization that works to create an urban gallery experience, launching exhibitions that address intersectional themes and foster a message of social change that benefits the working class. By placing culture over commercialism, SaveArtSpace aims to empower artists from all walks of life and inspire a new generation of young creatives and activists.