Exodus Crooks - Tendre (Studio Voltaire)

A new video essay by artist and educator Exodus Crooks, commissioned as part of Exodus’s twelve-month Artist Research Residency, looking into the tangible and intangible support structures available to Black Trans people living in the UK.

As each of us, Cis and Trans, reach for gender affirming realities to define ourselves. What would belong in a ‘Black Trans Survival Pack’? Using Octavia E Butler’s ‘Parable of the Sower as a motif to ask the question of fellow Black Trans people but also wider society.

This was a beautiful project to be a part of and truly encapsulates what I aim to do with in my work. I can’t thank Exodus and Studio Voltaire enough for the trusting me with this.

Artist and Director: Exodus Crooks
Videographer and Editor: George Brown
Interviewees: Azekel Axelle, Chay Brown, Sabah Choudrey, Dorian Rose and Travis Willie
Project Contributors: Black Trans Hub, Trans Media Watch, TransActual, Transmuted, Kris Black and Jaime Young.

Assistant Curator: Adwoa Owusu-Barnieh
Production Coordinator: Karina Sellars-Hardy
Captions: Care-fuffle Collective - PJ Hamilton, Nina Thomas and Anita Wolska.

FULL FILM: https://studiovoltaire.org/resources/exodus-crooks-tendre/

This film was commissioned by Studio Voltaire as part of Tender Living, which is supported by Paul Hamlyn Foundation and Arts Council England.