"In 2018, I spent some time traveling and living on the road in both the Arizona and New Mexico deserts. Being in the desert is very isolating but it also exudes tranquillity. This combination allowed me to change gears and essentially slow my thoughts to a halt, which was in stark contrast to my state of mind while living in London. As a result, I often had lucid dreams that I believe were directly manipulated by the surrounding atmosphere in the desert.
The raw footage from my time there forms the foundation of the video. I directed situations to try and recreate particular memories and moments from past experiences.
As my colour palette is a main focus across all mediums I explore as it stems back to a lot of my childhood memories. So when editing this video, I wanted to portray an accurate description of what I saw being present at the time but also entwined with certain childhood memories.
Azadeh, an artist based in LA, appears in the video. The way she aimlessly wondered through the sand dunes perfectly represented how I envisioned myself sleep walking from one world to the next. In this video, she personifies my unmasked identity.
In response to ‘Immortal Lands’, British Poet, Sonny Hall, created a verbal piece and I also worked with Zach Nahome, a producer to create the soundtrack.
Ultimately, ‘Immortal Lands’ is a manifestation of my dreams into an unknown place bound together by sound, landscapes and meticulously edited footage. The visuals explore a nostalgic and unfamiliar landscape unrestricted by our normal preconceptions of time and space."
The short-film was premiered in December 2019 as part of NOWNESS' Sound and Vision series, with a private screening.