KESSWASTUDIO@GMAIL.COM
BIOGRAPHY
ARTIST STATEMENT
CV
SELECTED WORK
MUSIC/MERCH
KESSWASTUDIO@GMAIL.COM
BIOGRAPHY
ARTIST STATEMENT
CV
SELECTED WORK
MUSIC/MERCH
My practice is an investigation of technological healing modalities within the quotidian. How do everyday objects, such as mirrors, for instance, function as an interactive interface between the psyche and the built environment? Grounded in a framework that posits performance and performativity, a concept developed by gender studies scholar Judith Butler, as technologies that aid humans in repair and replenishment post sociological and psychological “rupture,” my research draws upon Legacy Russell’s Glitch Feminism, Womanism, Afro-Surrealism, Afro-futurism, and Black Dada to inform a structure of healing possibility that is both historical and speculative. By weaving together fiber, text, sculpture, video, performance, and electronics, I shape a dynamic, interdisciplinary approach to personal, familial, and collective archives, aiming to reclaim what was lost, disparaged, demonized, and fragmented due to the afterlives or delayed time of colonialism and misogyny.
My practice aims to center the body as a technological site of performance in relation to land and history. My research identifies the body as a matrix of complex biological systems that mirror the cycles and rhythms of nature, holding immense creative potential that is organized by ideas, expressed through action, and access to material resources; human beings are inherently technological. Through the utilization of this ancient technology, we can explore the construction of equitable futures, sustainable ecosystems, and expand notions of liberation and possibility.
I draw upon the legacy and impact of Detroit’s cultural production, specifically techno, which took inspiration from the automotive industry and transformed the way electronic music is produced and experienced globally. I also draw upon Detroit’s self-proclaimed identity as the hair capital, which introduced flamboyant and sculptural hair pageantry into global consciousness as models for creative freedom and artistic innovation. As a core component of my work, collaboration permits a polyphonic oeuvre that includes virtual reality, new media, short films, sculpture, braiding performances, musical albums, DJ sets, and site-specific performance work.