I usually work with film and animation and tend to focus on issues specifically regarding young people between 16 and 25.
The works focus on mental health, substance abuse and at the moment explores Domestic Violence in same-sex relationships.
I feel there are many things within these subjects that need to be addressed. My goal with my work is for people in similar situations to relate to it. My aim is to highlight depression and anxiety and to show that they’re not alone. The reason I focus on this age is that I’ve found that these issues often begin to arise and affect us around these ages.
When I was doing A levels and doing fine art I really became interested Surrealism and exploring the abstract mindscape. I enjoyed the idea of being able to represent something internal in an experimental way. In the first year of this course, I was going through my own personal battles and I was trying to find a way to reveal these internal feelings in an experimental way through film and illustration.
Can you tell us about your final year project?
A conceptual installation piece which frames an intensely destructive same-sex relationship. As well as attempt to reveal an accurate representation of the queer black female body on screen, it is a truthful projection of Domestic Violence.
Following on from my research into the mainstream representation of the queer black body on screen, which I criticised in my dissertation, I wondered how a queer black female can be perceived in my piece in a non-stereotypical way. I wanted to externally represent the internalised feelings of both characters.
At the centrepiece of the work is a shed. The exterior of the shed represents the perspective of the victim and the police. The inside represents the mind and perspective of the perpetrator. During my research, I became interested in the way that the police were failing to correctly deal with cases of LGBTQ Domestic Violence. I had a couple of meetings with the Brighton and Hove Domestic Violence training and awareness officer to gain more insight on this issue and my goal quickly became to formally organise a service within the university for perpetrators and victims of Domestic Violence.
As there is currently not a lot of help for perpetrators. I’ve been talking to related organisations and looking at current rates of domestic violence between 16 and 25 – how many are seeking help, how many are LGBT, what age did it start happening etc. To support this research I had placed surveys online and around campus to encourage people to come forward.
How have you found studying Moving Image at Brighton?
When I came here I didn’t know what to expect. I came from a really conventional media course at Ravensbourne University and before that my background was fine art. So when I came here I started experimenting more again with films. I didn’t pick up a camera the end of my second year. Instead I did animations and filmed on iPhones etc.
This course encourages experimentation and it helped me find a way to use my skills in graphic design, illustration and film simultaneously. They let you do anything. If I hadn’t been allowed to experiment in this way, I would never have known what I wanted to do in the future which is making films and create a successful cartoon that is authentically representative of black characters. It’s kind of relit a fire in me. Now I know exactly what I want to do.
What are your plans after graduating?
I am going to take a year out to write a pilot and pitch for this animated series and take it to some companies.
I also want to do a masters which involves learning the business of selling and managing art and artists as I’m really into the business art as much as the making.
Pacheanne and Charles J Goodall’s film A Woman in a Room Being Watched by a Man is being shown as part of Brighton Fringe.
Find out more about BA(Hons) Moving Image
