+ REQUEST ‘BLACK AND BLUR’ EPK

BLUR AND BLUR is a living archive that critically investigates the multifaceted intersections of identity as agents of self-determination and transformation. This project delves into the ways collective agency can redefine Black identities, particularly concerning gender and sexuality. 

Captured through medium-format film, this series presents portraits of migrant and Indigenous Black individuals, asserting that Blackness is not a monolithic identity but a vibrant tapestry of cultural, ethnic, and global Indigenous backgrounds, each shaped by their specific contexts. Rooted in the unique context of Naarm (Melbourne) Australia, in 2023, the Black and Blur archive has since expanded to encompass narratives from Ghana, Benin, Togo, Nigeria, Senegal, and the UK.

The archive operates as a visual and auditory repository, employing innovative documentation processes that intertwine storytelling and audio recordings. These components enhance the visual presentations through interviews and reflections, offering profound insights into the cultural and political contexts of the regions represented. 

The audio archive navigates multiple languages—Wolof, French, and English—highlighting the significance of Indigenous languages in the framework of self-determination and culturally specific perspectives on gender and sexuality. Through a lens of understanding and empathy, it endeavors to provide historically grounded accounts of gender expansiveness that transcend conventional Eurocentric frameworks.

Black and Blur has been showcased at PHOTO2024 and featured in the Autumn 2024 edition of Art Monthly Australasia ‘On Endurance’. For further exploration of the themes and narratives within this project, additional information can be accessed through relevant publications and exhibitions, reflecting the contemporary discourse surrounding identity, culture, and resistance in historical archives.

Black and Blur Australia 2023 was commissioned by PHOTO2024