Scene | Unseen: Gentrification, Body Replacement, and Thereafter

(BALTIMORE, MD) November 2018 - Film artist, curator, and video essayist  Kirk Shannon-Butts' gripping new work, Scene | Unseen: Gentrification, Body Replacement, and Thereafter, will be on view at Gallery CA until November 30th 2018.

Pablo Picasso said, "Good artists copy.  Great artists steal."  For his new body of work, Shannon-Butts wanted to steal a few scenes from life unfolding right here in the heart of Baltimore City, turning the documentarian lens around on the subject rather than the chaos and destruction often presented to the American public.  This time, Shannon-Butts wanted to present a mirror.  Golfers have shuttled through Clifton Park for over 100 years, while the community on every border has deteriorated.  It was Malcolm X who observed the most segregated time in America is Sunday morning during the church hours.  In "Brunch", Shannon-Butts presents the bread-breaking ceremonies post prayer is as equally segregated in 2018 as it always has been across these United States of America.

Based in Harlem and currently residing in Baltimore City, Shannon-Butts holds a BA in Marketing/Arts Management from The American College, and an MFA in Film/TV Production from Chapman University.   Through a hybrid of documentation and narrative, Shannon-Butts unfolds thought-provoking moving images of male sexuality, gender, society, and culture.

His first film, 'Blueprint,' brought worldwide accolades and critical acclaim, receiving ’Best Film from the African Diaspora’ nomination at FESPACO, and nominated for ’Best First Feature’ at Frameline.  His work has been screened at the Cannes International Film Festival, the Sundance Film Festival, and The Kennedy Center.   Shannon-Butts has been featured in L’Uomo Vogue, 'Birth of an Indie,' included in Out magazine's Out 100, and listed among Uptown magazine’s '35 People to Watch in Hollywood.’