AnAkA
∞ Artkive
anaka.work@gmail.com
IG: 4n4k4
Artist Statment
Kali Uchis in Los Angeles, 120mm
∞ Artkive™ is a visual research five years in the making preserving how Spirit is ever-present in the process of creation. Pushing the limits of documentary filmmaking and photojournalism, Anaka sees through the lens with a focus on healing.
As a self-proclaimed Artkivist, Anaka is a master of finding the soft spots of creation where organic artistry is evoked by Higher Consciousness. She focuses on two specific ways Spirit is omniscient in art: first, how Spirit and ritual are an integral part of the creation process; and second, how oppressive systems affect the Spiritual creativity and resource accessibility of artists.
∞ Artkive brings diverse communities together through the common thread of creation in order to focus on the roots of infinite knowledge we share across the world.
Clients
Projects/Employment
Mombasa Skaters in Kenya, 120mm
Malaika in Centurion, South Africa, !20mm
Victor Kuster, Artist in August House, Johannesburg, 120mm
OSHUN at Afropunk 2015 for VICE
Levi’s, Object & Animal, T.D.E, Beats by Dre, Universal Music Group, NPR, VICE, August House Residency, KiddHunta, ArtNoise Nigeria Residency, Portland Art Museum, Getty Images.
Levis’ PRIDE 2019 Global Campaign - Director & Photographer -TBR June 2019
Practice: an FKA twigs short film - Director, Cinematography & Photo - Object & Animal- TBR 2019
Magic and Melanin: Return to the Motherland Abroad Program - Content Direction - December 2019
Roller Skaters of Mombasa - Art Direction, Film & Photo - Commissioned by Getty Images & Supported by Art Noise Nigeria - Mombasa, Kenya 2018
August House Artist Profiles - Social Media Management, Film & Photo Direction - Johannesburg, South Africa 2018
Kidd Hunta Official Look Book - Creative Direction, Photo & Video- Johannesburg, South Africa 2018
Anaka: a Film by Mahaneela - Dance - Johannesburg, South Africa 2018
Sun Xa Experiment - Film Direction - Mini Documentary filmed in Soweto, South Africa - 2018
Afrofuturistic Gangsterism by Nazlee Saif Official Music Video - Film Direction & Edit - Cape Town, South Africa 2018
Afropresentism Getty Images Bursary Project - Photo - Nosy Be, Madagascar 2018
Afropunk Festival Recap - Photo - Johannesburg, South Africa 2018
ALLYUUGOT by Luca Williams Official Music Video - Art Direction, Film Direction, DOP & Edit - Cape Town, South Africa 2017
OPENISM Official Look Book - Art Direction & Photo - Philadelphia, PA 2017
Poor Git Da $$ by lojii & Swarvy Official Music Video - Art Direction, Production, Film Direction & Edit - Los Angeles, CA 2017
Refinery 29, Black Girl Magik Denim Shoot - Film Direction & Photo - Columbia, SSC 2017
Cosmic Perspective by Mndsgn Official Music Video - Dance - Los Angeles, CA 2016
The Wake Up Call by Nazlee Arbee Official Music Video - Art Direction, Film Direction & Edit - Cape Town, South Africa 2016
Beats by Dre - Event Photography - Los Angeles, CA 2014-2016
For Free? by Kendrick Lamar Official Music Video - Photo - Los Angeles, CA 2015
Universal Music Group - Photo Intern - New York, NY 2015
Afropunk Festival Recap for VICE & Beats by Dre - Photo - New York, NY 2015
The Pressure by Jhene Aiko Official Music Video - Photo - Los Anglees, CA 2014
Feel That by Vic Mensa Official Music Video - Photo - Los Angeles, CA 2014
Magis
Shows/Exhibitions
Knext Gallery Solo Exhibition, Photo by Chaze Matakala
Knext Gallery Cape Town Exhibition, Photo by Chaze Matakala
The Portland Art Museum Presents Monuments: The Earth Expedition of Sun Ra - Soundscape & Video Curation - Portland, OR 2018
Art Noise Nigeria Artist Residency - Mural - Nairobi, Kenya - 2018
"August House Open Studio" Group exhibition curated by Olwethu De Vos, Johannesburg, South Africa - 2018
"Returning Home" one month Group exhibition curated by Black Girl Magik, Junior High, Los Angeles CA - 2018
"Ode to She" Art Basel Miami Exhibition, Christopher Moller Gallery, 2017
"Imagery is Infinite Artkives" Solo Exbition, Knext Art Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa 2016
"Imagery is Infinite Artkives Pop Up" Solo Exhibition, The Nest Space, Cape Town, South Africa 2016
"The FAME Project: Exhibition 3 / Silient Zine Premiere" Solo Exhibition, Contact Photo Lab, Los Angeles 2016
"The FAME Project: Exhibition 2" Solo Exhibition, the Living Gallery, New York, NY - 2015
"The FAME Project: Exhibition 1" Solo Exhibition, the J3 Collective, Los Angeles, CA - 2015
Getty Images Creative Bursary - 2018
Art Noise Nigeria Artkive Continuation Grant - 2018
Grants
Residencies/Internships
Demi Lovato for Universal Music, 2015
Art Noise Nigeria Artist Residency hosted by Karen Village, Nairobi, Kenya - 2018
August House, Johannesburg, South Africa - 2018
Universal Music Group, Photo Intern, New York, NY - 2015
CALMATIC Film Director, Apprentice, Los Angeles, CA 2015-2016
Appearances/Interviews
Kilo Kish
"Anaka- The Healing Energies of Creative Expression" Published by Bubblegum Club South Africa
"Black Girl Magik Collective: Denim" Published by Refinery 29
"Anunaka's South African Photos Confront the Fear of Freedom" written by Chaze Matakala for OkayAfrica, 2017
" Conversations on Creativity" Artist Panel, Creative Nestlings, Cape Town South Africa 2016
"Anaka: Artist & Alien" Sukebang Magazine, 2016
Skills
Photo by Brikicho
Ethnographic research, 120mm photography, 35mm photography, event programming, content direction, holistic business visualization, digital photography, film direction, art direction, cinematography, Premiere Pro, Photoshop, Final Cut, Lightroom, Gallery & Magazine Curation, Magazine Production, event planning, Dance, Choreography, Collage, Mixed Media, Travel
Education
University of Southern California Class of 2016
BA in Ethnographic Research with a double minor in Photography and Film Production
University of Cape Town (One semester), Class of 2016.
ABOUT
AnAkA
"I am descended from ∞ severed lineages. My Ancestors gift me the responsibility of building bridges across the oceans of endangered knowledge I carry in my DNA.“
- AnAkA, 2019
For five years, AnAkA has flowed on the quest to preserve the healing powers of creation with photography and film as her instruments. This calling birthed the cosmic path of shaping the “∞ Artkive” - a global archive preserving artists healing trauma with creative expression.
AnAkA graduated from the University of Southern California in 2016 with a B.A. in Ethnographic Research, Photography and Film Direction. She first researched abroad while attending University of Cape Town in 2016. Since graduating, AnAkA has actively collaborated with artists in the US, South Africa, East Africa and West Africa. They curated five international solo exhibitions sharing the ∞ Artkive in order to expand connections of identity within the African and Indigenous diasporas. Through this work, AnAkA advocates for the freedom of artists and healers to create despite institutional oppression.
AnAkA is a storyteller who loves to balance the richness of reality within surreal dream dimensions in order to explore the many portals of communal and self healing. Through photography, filmmaking and archival preservation, Anaka manifests safe space to reflect healing stories.
Previous clients include Levi’s, Object & Animal, Beats by Dre, T.D.E., Getty Images, the Portland Art Museum and Universal Music Group.
* Photo by Justice Mukheli