Shantre Pinkney

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shantreverite/

Website: https://www.shantre.com/

Bio: Shantre Pinkney is a filmmaker, writer, and photographer with roots in New York and Atlanta. A lover of non-traditional and inquisitive storytelling, she aims to spark dialogue between art and its audience. Her work explores social relationships and the coming-of-age experiences of characters, blending narrative, portrait, and documentary styles. She was awarded the Zellerbach Grant and selected as an Arts Fellow with Asian Improv Arts and a Media Fellow by Kala Arts Institute. Raw, Black & Blue is her debut photo-fiction book.

Statement: Artist Statement: Shantré Pinkney (filmmaker, writer, photographer) Raw, Black & Blue is a photo-fiction love story told through the lens and journal entries of Tamia, a photographer who navigates her relationships and mental health after returning to her childhood home. My story first began as a short film, The Raw, which follows Keith, a newly hired employee in a social services program who provides mediation and mental health services. My intention was to write from his point of view. Naturally, I was curious—two friends of mine, H.Z. and Jay, had joined a community response team, a non-profit organization funded by the city of San Francisco. They shared countless stories with me, many about families torn apart by gang-related deaths and mental illness. Jay was sent to prevent further retaliation between gang members and offer counseling. He initially wanted to be a sheriff, which I struggled to understand at the time. I decided to develop a new main character, Tamia, our narrator and the eyes behind the camera. She is a character who portrays a sense of longing and hope for the people in a predominantly Black community, yet she struggles to accept that hope of belonging for herself. Her connection with Keith highlights both her capacity for love and her fear of vulnerability. Throughout the story, Tamia's journey is one of self-discovery and growth as she learns to embrace her past and open herself to the possibilities of the future. My goal with Raw, Black and Blue is multifaceted: an interdisciplinary project aimed at raising discussions on relationships and mental health through film, literature, audio storytelling, and photo exhibitions.