Jenn Nkiruis a Nigerian-British artist and director. She is known for directing the music video forBeyoncé's "Brown Skin Girl"and for being the second unit director of Ricky Saiz’s video for Beyoncé andJay-Z,"APESHIT"which was released in 2018.[1]She was selected to participate in the2019 Whitney Biennial.[2][3][4][5]
Early years and education
editNkiru was born inPeckham,South London.[6][7]She studied law before moving to the United States,[8]where she attendedHoward Universityand graduated with a MFA in Filmmaking.[2][4][5]
Career
editShort films
editHer directorial debut wasEn Vogue,which was shot byBradford YoungandArthur Jafawas released in 2014. In 2017, Nkiru created a film titledCelebrating Women In Artfor theTate Moderngallery that showcased female contemporary artists in celebration ofInternational Women's Day.[9]That same year, her second movieRebirth is Necessarywas released. This movie was featured onNownessand won several awards including, the Canal+ Award at theClermont Ferrand Film Festivaland the Best Documentary at theLondon Independent Film Festival.Rebirth is Necessarywas also nominated for the 2018 best short film award atSheffield International Documentary Film Festival.[1]Her video work is included in theAfrofuturistPeriod Room exhibitionBefore Yesterday We Could Flyat theMetropolitan Museum of Art.[10]
Music videos
editNkiru has directed music videos for Beyoncé,Kamasi WashingtonandNeneh Cherry.She was the second unit director of Ricky Saiz’s video for Beyoncé and Jay-Z, "APESHIT".[3][5][6]In 2020 she directed the critically acclaimed music video for Beyoncé's "Brown Skin Girl",[11]which won theBest Music Videoaward at the2021 Grammy Awards.[12]
Works
edit- En Vogue[13]
- Rebirth is Necessary[13]
- Black to Techno[5]
- "OUT/ SIDE OF TIME", commissioned for the Met exhibitionBefore Yesterday We Could Fly[14]
Awards
editReferences
edit- ^abc"Jenn Nkiru".Somerset House.9 July 2018.Retrieved30 December2019.
- ^ab"Jenn Nkiru".frieze.Archived fromthe originalon 30 December 2019.Retrieved30 December2019.
- ^ab"Jenn Nkiru".OKAYAFRICA's 100 WOMEN.Archived fromthe originalon 23 October 2019.Retrieved30 December2019.
- ^ab"Jenn Nkiru".Black Women Directors.Retrieved30 December2019.
- ^abcd"Filmmaker Jenn Nkiru Shares Her Light with Frieze LA".Cultured Magazine.14 February 2019.Retrieved30 December2019.
- ^abLittle, Harriet Fitch (7 February 2019)."Film-maker Jenn Nkiru's brain-bending vision".Financial Times.Retrieved30 December2019.
- ^"Jenn Nkiru".Free The Bid.Archived fromthe originalon 17 December 2019.Retrieved30 December2019.
- ^"Meet Jenn Nkiru: The Nigerian-British Director Of" Brown Skin Girl "Video".The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News.17 March 2021.Retrieved6 February2022.
- ^"Celebrating Women In Art: A Tate Modern + Jenn Nkiru Film".The NATIVE.9 March 2017.Retrieved5 February2022.
- ^"In 'Before Yesterday We Could Fly,' Visions of a Fictive Black Future Take Flight at the Met".Vogue.2 November 2021.Retrieved5 February2022.
- ^"'Brown Skin Girl' Director Jenn Nkiru Talks Creating An Unapologetic Video Celebrating Blackness ".Essence.Retrieved6 February2022.
- ^"Beyoncé and Blue Ivy Win Best Music Video at 2021 Grammys".Pitchfork.14 March 2021.Retrieved6 February2022.
- ^ab"Jenn Nkiru".nowness.Retrieved30 December2019.
- ^Liscia, Valentina Di (5 November 2021)."Met Museum Reimagines the Period Room Through the Lens of Afrofuturism".Hyperallergic.Retrieved2 February2022.
- ^"Aesthetica Magazine - Success Stories".Aesthetica Magazine.Retrieved30 December2019.
- ^"Beyoncé and Blue Ivy Win Best Music Video at 2021 Grammys".Pitchfork.14 March 2021.Retrieved6 February2022.