Hello Billie0cean, you are one of the first residents at De:Formal, we are so excited to have you here! Can you start by telling us a bit about yourself and your background?
Hello hello! Thank you for having me. I’m a bay area video artist and director, with a background in animation, theatre and fine arts. I was in college for quite a while thanks to my indecisive libra tendencies however this allowed me to play around in many areas, all of which I now actively bring to my video work.
How would you describe your work?
A wet breathy internal deep dive into our subconscious.
How did you get into working in video and sound? Who did you look up to when you first started?
I took an experimental animation class and with a professor who really allowed us to push the boundaries of animation, stating that the term “animation” could be as loose as we wanted it to be, which honestly was incredibly freeing to hear. Ive always been more inclined towards non-linear narratives and experimental expressionism and this class allowed me to fully express the hell out of that.
Can you share with us about the recurring theme of fluids in your work?
Yes, I use a lot of fluid/water themes. I want to create wet internal spaces that are damp, drippings and emotionally charged. These sort of embryonic womb spaces where our shadow selves, our thoughts and desires nest and fester. The water/fluidity within my work is as well a representation of cleansing, healing, and rebirth.
What concepts and ideas are on your mind when you're creating work during the residency program?
Love, deep love, reclamation and rebirth; love for eachother, love for oneself, love for my ancestors, love for past lovers and love for my black people. A reclamation of my heart, mind, and energy. Healing and rebirthing oneself. Thinking of ways to ground and give voice to all of these visceral emotions buzzing around my body, providing a space for them to live outside of me. Relinquishing.
What is your relationship like with the web and the internet in general? How does it affect your work?
Hmmm, not so much lately.
What is something you would like to create in a perfect world with unlimited time and budget?
For starters, food and housing for everyone.
If you can go back in time to the end of 2019, what advice would you give yourself and your loved ones?
Get ready, it’s about to be a bumpy ride! I’d also say to love yourself and others as deeply as you possibly can and never take the relationships you have for granted.
Have you seen or read anything lately that you would like to share?
I'm currently reading Bell Hooks’ All about love which is heart, eye and mind opening. Its heavy and heart wrenching yet I cant put it down.
View residency digital installation: deformalgallery.wixsite.com/laneya-billingsley
For more of Billie0cean: vimeo.com/billie0cean | @billie0cean