OZMA — 22 Who Made a Difference in 2022

OZMA — 22 Who Made a Difference in 2022

Kiara Costa, who creates art under the pseudonym OZMA, inspiration comes in numerous forms and plays out in a variety of media.

Costa’s creative moniker OZMA is borrowed from the name of a fairy queen from Frank L. Baum’s Wizard of Oz series, which the artist read as a teenager. Costa adopted the name originally as a tag when she was experimenting with graffiti and now puts it to use in a broader array of applications, from artworks created on found objects to customized clothing. Reflecting on the name, Costa considers her own multi-faceted identity as an art maker and as a person.

She says, “Ironically, in creating OZMA I’ve sort of become the Wizard character, but behind that curtain, I’m a mother, a sister, a daughter, and friend. Behind the curtain are all the memories I cherish.”

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Costa has engaged in partnerships with places ranging from The Dean Hotel, a posh spot in downtown Providence, to Top Shelf Vintage Co., a bohemian retail space in Pawtucket. She is currently participating in an artist residency at the Providence outpost of the Cambridge Innovation Center and is also a member of the inaugural cohort of WaterFire’s Accelerate program for young artists. Her resume is that of an art-maker tipped for success.

But her talent is beginning to be recognized far beyond Rhode Island’s borders with reviews in art hubs like Miami.

Costa’s goals for her artistic practice are ambitious and she outlines them eloquently, saying, “As I continue with art, I hope to also continue to build a sense of community in Rhode Island and beyond. I hope that my art keeps evolving, that I’m able to experiment with new materials and new mediums. Most importantly, I hope to break down any barriers that might keep me; a twenty-something-year-old parent, person of color, without a BFA from selling work in high-end galleries. I want to be persistent, consistent and expand my artistry in a manner that allows me to have the freedom to be an artist full time and create everyday.”

Costa emerged as an artistic force in 2022.