We are delighted to announce the two talented artists selected for ArtScreen 2022 are Dani Pearce and Demon Derriere.

Each artist will create a new video artwork which explores themes of identity, access and social connectedness to be screened at the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia in December 2022. They will each receive $11,500 in grant funding towards the production of their work and undertake a professional mentorship with experienced video artist Dr Zanny Begg. An additional $9000 of in-kind production support is available from our partnering organisations.

“ArtScreen aims to broaden engagement with, and appreciation of, the distinctive insights and skills of artists with disability,” says Accessible Arts CEO, Liz Martin. “The MCA provides a high profile showing and creates a unique opportunity for artists with disability. Previous ArtScreen work has gone on to be further developed and selected as part of this year’s Cannes Short Film Festival.”

“We are delighted to be able to offer this opportunity again in 2022 and look forward to seeing what these talented artists will create through this exciting program.”

About the Artists

Dani Pearce

Dani is a Writer, Director and Artist based in Sydney, Australia. Dani’s practise sits confidently at the intersection of filmmaking, photographic work and art practise. Her work is formally inventive; ideologically ruminating on intersectional feminism, womanhood, systems of power and the experience of invisible disability. Dani’s work holds a primary focus on experimental narrative, melding both narrative and conceptual abstractions. Her work has screened locally and internationally–including Sundance Film Festival, Cannes Young Director’s Awards, AVIFF Cannes Film Festival, BAFTA Aesthetica, Tribeca Video Art and Experimental Film Festival and many more. Dani’s filmography includes Nursed Back and Backpedal.

Dani Pearce is being mentored by Dr Zanny Begg.

Demon Derriere

Demon Derriere is a body positive activist, booty manipulator and creative director of body positive festival Big Thick Energy. Demon demands society’s attention to abolish ableism, destigmatise fatphobia and liberate all bodies. As a POC, Hard of hearing queer woman she aims to display the essence of the music through the feeling vibrations create. Demon explores her experiences of “otherness” as she expresses sexual energy and blurs the lines between dance and pornography using traditional Egyptian Belly Dance, Burlesque and the art of tease.

Demon Derriere is being mentored by Kate Cornish.

ArtScreen 2022 is being co-funded with grants from the City of Sydney and the NSW Government through Create NSW and in-kind contributions from Accessible Arts, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, A.C.E., Bus Stop Films and Prototype.

ENDS

Image Description: On the left is a black and white photo of artist Dani Pearce. She has long blonde hair and is wearing a puffy coat. On the right Demon Derriere is kneeling in front of a silver wall. She has dark hair and is wearing a red top, black pants and very large pink sleeves.