Kitoko Diva & Shane Williamson
IF YOU FIND EARTH BORING…, 2023
Artist Statement:
'If you find earth boring...' is a brief cinematic ode. Drawing from 'Space is the Place,' the film mirrors Sun Ra's visionary scene, echoing his call to action at the 'Outerspace employment agency.' In this short, Black individuals across D.C. converge, echoing the call for a cosmic journey, blending cultural homage with the universal quest for exploration and liberation.
BIO:
Kitoko Diva is a French multimedia artist and filmmaker interested in the physical spatialization of moving images, through large-scale installations and immersive environments. Her manipulation of images within three-dimensional displays explores new fors of experimental storytelling close to magical realism, blurring the line between fiction, reality and documentary. She is a Fulbright scholar and current MFA candidate at Howard University who has received recognition as the recipient of the 2023 NATAS Student Emmys Award for best fiction short film. Her works have been recently screened at the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris and the Guggenheim Museum in New York.
BIO:
Shane Williamson (b. 2001 Brooklyn, NY) is a filmmaker and fine artist currently based out of Washington, DC. His visual work, which includes music videos, and narrative and experimental films, all incorporate themes surrounding identity, stillness, mundanity, and beauty, ultimately highlighting Black experiences across the diaspora. Through Shane’s desire to document and preserve, he seeks to bring forward rich stories that otherwise would have been neglected and disregarded.
In 2022, Shane graduated from Pace University’s Film and Screen Studies program with a double minor in Art and Women’s & Gender Studies and is now attending Howard University where he is a candidate to receive his Master of Fine Arts degree in Film.