2023 BARBARA HAMMER GRANT FINALIST

Oreoluwa Akinyode

Oreoluwa "Ifasola Sangosemilore" Akinyode, The Living Breathing archive of what was, what is, and what will be. Through the use of images, moving images, and text, Oreoluwa crafts worlds where their multitudes have a place to exist. Oreoluwa weaves storytelling and sharing into the archive. To be the holder of you and your loved ones' archives is to care for your existence beyond life and death. The goal of their work is to invite each viewer to reflect on their own self-perception and how they move through the world. Their work exists as a living prayer, a portal that acts as a catalyst for change.  As a priest of African spirituality, specifically of the Ifa and Orisa Isese practice, Oreoluwa is in constant conversation and reflection with their ancestors and spirit guides. With their practice, they work to un-demonize indigenous African spiritual traditions and remind the world that our practices are sacred and are a guide to remembering one's self and destiny. Oreoluwa is a recent Gotham EDU Film And Media Career Development filmmaker fellow and a  2023 Queer|Art Barbara Hammer Lesbian Experimental Filmmaking Grant Finalist.

Their current project, “SHINING, IN PLAIN SIGHT,” explores Black Queer and Trans people's relationships within African Spirituality. This short film is a collection of rituals, research, and recollection of experiences leading up to their new and upcoming film, You Are Welcome Here And There, directed by the artist and produced by their creative partner, Destiny “Egbeyemi” Hodges.