The 27-year-old artist Ufuoma Essi grew up in London, but moved to Pennsylvania for college, where she found her vocation as a filmmaker. The two places have since coexisted in her work. Essi’s latest film, Is My Living in Vain, takes its name from a hit by the gospel group The Clark Sisters, and looks at histories of performance across the Black Atlantic. Essi turns her focus to congregations far and wide—from a Baptist Church in West Philadelphia to the Brixton Baptist Church Kenyon in London—showcasing Black women’s resilience in the face of adversity. This installation containes both images and video footage.
—Elena Clavarino