Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley

featured by Guillermo Moreno Mirallas

Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley, based between London and Berlin, pioneers contemporary expression by employing animation, sound, performance, and video games to archive and amplify Black Trans experiences. Redefining storytelling, their work has earned global recognition, showcased in institutions such as Studio Voltaire, SCAD Savannah, Artnight Dundee, Tate Modern London, and arebyte. Their work has also been featured prominently in prestigious magazines such as Frieze, Dazed, and ArtReview, with a recent cover feature in the March 2024 issue.

Brathwaite-Shirley undertakes their practice with the intent of crafting not just art, but interactive experiences that provoke thoughtful engagement. This deliberate method encourages audiences to actively participate in the narratives they construct, fostering a deeper connection and understanding. Their innovative approach illuminates the richness of Black Trans experiences while sidestepping undue emphasis on trauma and violence, providing various entry points into narrative themes for audiences to deeply connect with.

In this enlightening conversation, we delve into Brathwaite-Shirley’s artistic journey, their current projects, and how they align with their vision. Join us as we explore their investigations, dedication to amplifying marginalised voices, and the transformative potential of their work in the contemporary art landscape.

Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley. NO SPACE FOR REDEMPTION, 2024, Trailer, Courtesy of the artist. © Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley.

“I want the (art) work to be just as hard when viewing as it is to make it.”

Guillermo Moreno Mirallas: Danielle, let’s kick off by diving into your artistic journey. Can you share some pivotal moments that played a significant role in shaping your choice of mediums and your overall artistic approach? 


Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley: So I remember when I had just finished making this film called ‘DIGGING FOR BLACK TRANS LIVES’, which was essentially a 40-minute animation about the lack of Black Trans people in the archive, and wishing that I could dig up their graves and speak to them directly about their lives. Someone came up to me and told me that they loved the work because they ‘…could get lost in the imagery and ignore the message.’ From this point on I began to actively fight against that lazy way of viewing my work and focused instead on audience choice determining what they saw. I started to begin to design games in which everything that you saw was because of the choices you made while viewing the work. These choices that now were available in the games really allowed me to explore what it meant to record memory within the game and lock off parts of that with a series of choices, chosen by the viewer.

The work became less about the thing that you’re viewing or the object that you’re looking at and more about the journey that happens inside of you when you make the certain choices and the emotional register that is hit when you start feeling responsible for the images that you are seeing.

I do a lot of crowd watching. I believe that a lot of our artistic practice has become much more about the process of making art than the process of changing art. When I watch people view Art, I usually see them looking at it from a distance, consuming what’s there and being happy that someone has done this work for them so that they don’t need to do any work at that moment. It’s a leisurely activity, not often an active one. That has really informed my practice that I want the work to be just as hard when viewing as it is to make it. It should be that the more you work when you’re in front of a piece, the more you get given from the experience. It’s really important to me that the art doesn’t become a passive experience. You should leave with this internal journey and emotional register that you created in the gallery for yourself.

Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley. DIGGING FOR BLACK TRANS LIFE (3 Min excerpt). 2019. Courtesy of the artist. © Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley.

“For me, technology became a way of keeping a diary of my real life, a diary of those around me, a diary of my family members, a diary of a community”

Moving on to your relationship with technology, how would you describe its role and influence in contemporary narratives, and how has your connection with technological tools evolved over time?

So I wasn’t trained in tech at all, so actually I had to train myself. At the beginning of my career, my skills were very rudimentary, which is maybe why I was drawn to these more low poly PS one/PS2 era appearances. The abstract low poly models often look more like symbols, and when I was working on archiving Black Trans people, that was really effective because instead of this looking like a one-to-one copy of someone, it’s more that the soul, the essence of them was captured within the technology.

For me, technology became a way of keeping a diary of my real life, a diary of those around me, a diary of my family members, a diary of a community. So my relationship with technology feels very organic, even though it’s TECH it feels like a biological extension of me when I’m using it. I’m not trying to get lost in what the tech can do. Usually it’s very simple from behind the scenes, and keeping it simple allows me to get closer to actually invoking that soul or feeling of the people I’m working with. I think it’s really important when you’re considering the medium of game engines that you don’t see the tools as a means to an end. I see the tools as a way of speaking, a way of storing, and a way of remembering. So it’s not that I need to show off the tools. It should be that the tools speak with those that you’re placing within them and the story is breathing alongside the tech, and alongside the engine and not that one is serving the other.

As I’ve progressed in my career, my understanding of using technology has developed. For me, it’s not about using more complicated systems or having a complex backend. It’s about actually knowing which tools to leave behind and which tools to use. There are so many technical tools but just because something is fascinating, it doesn’t mean it serves the aim of the work. Something super simple can be effective. When it comes to technology’s role in contemporary society, I mean, it’s almost part of us now, it feels that it’s among us. It’s not that it’s having an effect on us, it is part of us now. It’s almost symbiotic in some circumstances. Society has made it so hard to live without some technologies, like bank cards, smartphones, subscriptions, Instagram accounts.


Danielle Braithwaite-Shirley, THE LACK, 2023, GAMEBOX, Courtesy of the Artist. © Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley.

“I don’t expect reactions from the audience, I plan them.”

When it comes to creating interactive experiences, what kind of reactions are you expecting from the audience, and how do you navigate ethical challenges, especially in terms of privacy?

I’m intrigued by your perspective on how these interactive tools not only contribute to cultural conversations within the gallery space but also how you envision their lasting impact, transcending the immediate experiential context.

So I don’t expect reactions from the audience. I plan them. Usually when I’m mapping out a game, I will make a flowchart of the choices that happen. So, for example, when you’re navigating the ‘Black trans archive,’ the first available choice is to pick your identity. This allows the viewer to inject some of their essence into the game, even though it’s very small; they feel like it’s become personal about them. I need to ask a question about myself first. And then that helps guide them through the game, and that’s just with the flowchart.

But I also create an audience flowchart, which essentially outlines the types of feelings that I could possibly evoke, what it means to leave the game at a particular point, what happens if no one interacts, what happens if they wait too long, and so I try to plan to evoke certain feelings. Obviously, it doesn’t always go according to plan, but it’s something that’s really important for me to consider because I want to think about the different people approaching it and how it might affect a different kind of mentality. How I can insert a poignant moment, how I can tug at the heartstrings, how I can make you listen, shock you, leave you concerned and on the edge, make you think that something is wrong. I’m striving to evoke all of those kinds of feelings, anxieties, worries, and happiness.

I’m aiming to reach this authentic moment, not just an appreciation for what you’re seeing but a moment that you truly believe in, a moment where you stop merely looking and consuming and instead start living in. And in that moment, it should fill, or at least I hope it does, that The Yard is actually directly speaking to you, and then you have to answer these questions to yourself. So you step out of the game and start living in your own body and mind. Now, that is the dream, and it sometimes happens and sometimes doesn’t, depending on the reaction, the work, the time, and what’s in the news, but that’s usually what I’m aiming for.

The work is also often put online because I feel like the Internet is a medium, and how you use that space; is not just a place to put your work. It’s about the way you present that work, which says a lot about it. That’s why sometimes, when you approach online platforms, it doesn’t feel right, depending on the show, because they have not considered the art or the internet medium. They’ve seen the internet as a place to display real work rather than as the medium to create the work. Many of my works are available online for anyone to access, such as the ‘Black Trans Archive’ series. For me, it’s important that these can be accessed anywhere. You don’t have to be in a specific circle of artists or creators; you could stumble upon it by chance or be told about it and access it anytime, anywhere without having to pay a fee. That’s crucial because I believe that art doesn’t belong to galleries; it belongs to the people. These experiences should be able to be relieved without having any money, or access to Art or access to travel instead, just the desire to see and interact with it should be enough for you to gain access to artwork.

“I feel like the Internet is a medium, and how you use that space; is not just a place to put your work.”

How do you define the role of community collaboration in your artistic practice?

Also, in the realm of technology, how do you leverage it to powerfully preserve and share the stories of the Black Trans community?

I don’t leverage technology to do anything, I don’t want to leverage a community to do anything; it’s not about getting something out of something. It’s about trying to find the right language, the right combination of mediums, and recordings, and archives to practice and generate something that feels honest, closer to the essence or soul. I think that when we approach technology, sometimes it’s in a very cold, logical way, and then in a very long-form, labor-intensive environment that requires a lot of technical skill and a lot of reworking, rethinking, iteration. For me, as someone who sees games as a medium, 3-D modeling as a medium, depending on the engine, I really believe that you can make a game in two minutes, in 10 minutes, in five minutes, two months, three months, half a year, two years, 10 years, like any medium. It doesn’t require an extremely long process or a short process; it requires what it needs when you’re aiming to capture a solid essence of someone, a good case in pointers.

I have a lot of rules when I use technology. For example, if I’m trying to capture emotion, I often give myself a time limit, and I try to capture the essence of whatever I’m feeling. So if I’m feeling anxiety, depression, fear, happiness, I use 15 minutes to model something, write something, make something, and whatever is made in that time goes into the game, regardless of whether it’s good, ugly, or sad. It’s that kind of process that allows me to try to get closer to the feeling of something, rather than trying to be smart with its representation. Because I don’t always think that that’s the most effective way to capture the true nature of emotions and transfer them onto someone else. Something very intricate and detailed when you work with technology can often lose a human aspect of it, even if it looks very human-like. That’s why you can have amazing games with beautiful graphics, and yet it feels soulless in the characters, feels empty, both mentally, emotionally, and physically empty.

From your perspective, how do you think technology is impacting our relationships today?

Even more, how do you view the relationship between technology and the body in terms of survival and empowerment?

Discussing technology and survival, it seems we’re currently on a path where unfamiliarity with certain technologies, like self-promotion on Instagram, email, telephone calls, Google Drive, and banking, can greatly hinder one’s ability to function in society. Without smartphone access, many essential resources for government services, employment, livelihood, and security are out of reach. It appears that technology and the corporations behind them wield significant influence over societal behavior and the expression of frustrations, anxieties, and fears. Venting online is easier than mobilising large groups for physical protests, leading to online protests having less impact than real-world demonstrations.

Despite widespread online outcry, real-world consequences for those in power remain minimal and easy to dismiss. Living in this increasingly dystopian future, where subscription models control access to nearly everything, each transaction drains one’s finances, making money scarce and entertainment fleeting. While technology enables survival, fosters creativity, facilitates self-expression, and creates opportunities, we must acknowledge that the very technologies we rely on often benefit corporations at our expense. The conditions under which these technologies operate, such as increased internet censorship and corporate control, restrict their potential and can lead to their disappearance if they don’t align with profit-driven interests.

Let’s talk about overcoming challenges. Can you shed light on how you challenge traditional archival practices in your work and the ethical considerations you take into account when engaging in digital archiving?

When it comes to archiving, my approach diverges significantly from traditional methods. I tend to view it more holistically, embracing speculation and incorporating the perspectives of those I collaborate with. I believe there’s something profoundly meaningful about the unique thought processes of individuals, often overlooked in conventional archives. For instance, while we may possess records of a conversation, interview, or image featuring a figure like Mary Jones in 1836, we lack insight into how she might have envisioned alternative narratives.

This seemingly trivial aspect speaks volumes about her hopes, fears, and perceptions of the past, present, and future. Thus, when engaging with archives, I adopt a somewhat sci-fi mindset, seeking to explore how individuals envision societal constructs and the worlds we construct together. Such an approach captures the intricacies and innovations of their lived experiences, shedding light on their problem-solving strategies and perspectives often sidelined in traditional archival practices.

Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley, ADDICTION Pathway, THE REBIRTHING ROOM. GAMEPLAY VIDEO 2024. Studio Voltaire. Courtesy of the artist.

Now, shifting the spotlight to your current exhibition at Studio Voltaire, ‘The Rebirthing Room.’ (31 January–28 April 2024) What elements make it particularly special for you, and how does it embody essential themes in your broader artistic practice?

The Rebirthing Room at Studio Voltaire marks my initial attempt at crafting an experience akin to therapy. Creating the artwork served as a form of therapy for me, delving into personal barriers that have hindered my progress. It involved confronting aspects of my life that have exerted control over me and making a conscious decision to break free from their grasp. Instead, I chose to utilize the platform of the exhibition to encourage contemplation on topics such as addiction, self-love, self-doubt, fear of failure, and intolerance. The goal was to empower individuals to confront and overcome these obstacles within the space provided. I aimed to offer visitors a chance to envision a rebirth, shedding the burdens that hold them back and allowing them to envision a life free from the grip of painful memories and emotions, thereby enabling their personal growth and fulfillment.

Danielle, given your prolific artistic career, could you provide insights into your current projects and how they align with the evolution of your artistic vision?

I don’t really love talking about current products, but I’m moving towards making spaces that serve more of a function than just art. I don’t want the spaces to be fun and useless and just here for entertainment. I want them to actually be spaces people can come to and potentially grow. I mean, that’s a big dream of mine. We’ll see if we get that. Currently, I’m working on a show with LAS that opens later in the year. This will be a show that really focuses on cleansing your soul and exploring what your soul might look like right now, and how you may have to work on it in order for you to live a healthy life and make life better for those around you. The show is not easy, and it’s quite hard and there are a lot of dark themes in there, but I think that it’s more exciting and appropriate to work with dark themes right now in the current world we’re living in.

To wrap it up, can you share some key references—whether they be movements, artists, or concepts—that have left a lasting impact on both your artistic practice and your overall artistic thinking?

Right, I’m going to mention two things. First, some artistic influences and then a few video games, just to highlight that video games should be part of the art conversation. As for artistic inspirations: Harold Offeh, Ebun Sodipo, Daniel Lee, and Travis Alabanza. And in terms of video games: Petscop, Killer7, Death Stranding, Freak Hunter, Shipwrecked 64, and World of Horror.