Nydia Blas (born 1981) is an American photographer from the state of New York, whose works explore the identity of young Black women and girls.
She is currently an assistant professor at Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia, where she teaches photography in the department of art and visual culture.
[2] Blas received her bachelor's degree from Ithaca College[3] in cinema and photography with a minor in African diaspora studies.
[4] Nydia explores sexuality, intimacy, and her lived experience as a child, adult, and mother through photography, collage, film, and books.
She uses her art to construct a physical and allegorical space framed through a Black feminine eye, weaving stories about situation, meaning, and influence.
Blas stated that she draws inspiration from Audre Lorde's concept of "the erotic", which includes not just sexuality but also intimacy among family members and friends.
[6] The name of the photo series comes from a Virginia Hamilton book The Girl Who Spun Gold, which is an African-American interpretation of the classic fairytale "Rumpelstiltskin".
Blas acted as a mentor to the girls in the group, encouraging them to keep diaries, teaching them about self esteem, and organizing events for other teenagers in the Black community.