Introduction
Jenn Nkiru is a Nigerian-British artist and director. She was featured as the second unit director of Ricky Saiz’s video for Beyoncé and Jay-Z, Apeshitwhich was released in 2018. In 2019, she was selected to participate in the2019 Whitney Biennial.
Early years and education
Nkiru was born in Peckham, South London. She attended the Howard University where she acquired an MFA in Filmmaking.
Career
Nkiru directs music videos and short films. The first film she directed was En Vogue, which was shot by Bradford Young and Arthur Jafa was released in 2014. In 2017, her second movie, Rebirth is Necessary was released. This movie was featured on Nowness and won several awards including, the Canal + award at the Clermont Ferrand Film Festival and the Best Documentary at the London Independent Film Festival. Rebirth is Necessary was also nominated for the 2018 best short film award at Sheffield International Documentary Film Festival. She is known to have directed music videos for Kamasi Washington and Neneh Cherry. She was also the second unit director of Ricky Saiz’s video for Beyoncé and Jay-Z, Apeshit .
Works
- En Vogue
- Rebirth is Necessary
- Black to Techno
Awards
- 2018 - She won the 2018 Voice of a Woman award at Cannes.
- 2019 - She won the main Aesthetica Art Prize