In true TAF fashion, me and Marcelese Cooper talk about bugs.
Marcelese Cooper is an artist and educator originally from Santa Clarita, California, and has practiced throughout the Midwest and the South for nearly a decade. Influenced by their experiences as a young, black, queer individual, Cooper explores themes of identity, community, and the black/brown narrative through mediums like animation, performance art, and experimental video. They blend the DNA of dreams, science-fiction, and surreal art-house cinema in their work.
Currently a Teaching Assistant Professor in the Film and Media Studies Program at the University of Pittsburgh, Cooper merges storytelling with time-based media to nurture the next generation of storytellers. Their recent artistic endeavors extend into 2D animation, video art, and sound experimentation, with a focus on community-centered projects that emphasize group storytelling and self-mythos.
Learn more and contribute to Story Drive here - an ongoing video series focused on community storytelling. We interpret anonymous voicemails — dreams, memories, secrets, and more — into video art. Whether you're sharing a laugh, a personal truth, or a somber moment, your story will be heard. Donate to Marcelese's upcoming project On Good Days here - On Good Days is a short experimental documentary about what it means to live with chronic and autoimmune conditions on a daily basis. These conditions are often shown only during emergencies or flare ups, but most of life happens between those moments or potentially in spite of them. It happens in the pacing of energy, in care routines, in the small decisions that shape a day, and in the adaptations that allow people to keep moving through the world on their own terms. This film is focused on that living part, which is often the part that is least understood.
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Links to points of discussion:
The Animator's Friend is hosted by India Lombardi-Bello, an educator based in New York City. In this series, India creates a platform where animators get to talk about themselves outside the context of their work. A questionnaire format, inspired by the 24 frames per second of animation, allows for personal, lighthearted, and unexpected conversation.
Credits:
