RAJENDRA DEBAH & SHANIQWA JARVIS - RITUALS

Starting February 13th, HVW8 Gallery presents RITUALS, a series of portrait photographs and film vignettes focused on black family life. The artists use the respected medium to explore blood family, chosen relationships, and rituals that preserve the importance of our nature and portray a harmonious and positive image of black families. Drawing inspiration on the subjects of family bonds, self image and one’s own outer reflection, the artists will show a set of 16 portrait photographs and a trilogy of film vignettes set to a score of original music by artist Kelsey Lu.

RITUALS was filmed and photographed in Hancock Park inside the family home of Dolores and Ben Kerr; a maverick renaissance woman and engineer who have called this Los Angeles neighbourhood home for over 40 years. Dolores makes appearances throughout the vignettes as the family matriarch – celebrating her life passion for opera in a film vignette called Recital. Brandi Sellars Jackson, her son Jax and husband Jon, alongside actor Millian Butler and nine year old competitive swimmer Alexa Grant, each reflect on their own physical image and connection to family as part of a visual narrative tackling lineage, tradition and dedication. Debah and Jarvis chose to cast a real family alongside other talent creating a new family structure and bond. RITUALS is dynamic, layered and richly atmospheric – meant not only to tell a story but also to stir emotion.

rsvp@hvw8.com