Visionary artists Kara Walker and Ari Marcopoulos have collaborated on a video work to accompany Santigold’s song “Banshee”. The piece marks their first film collaboration and merges their distinct styles. Walker created and performed original black paper shadow puppets, representing Santigold and fantasy figures. Marcopoulos’ straightforward camera work, on the street and in the studio creates a portrait of the artist as person as well as performer. The dichotomy between the fantasy of the star and the reality and labor of the performer captures the exuberance of “Banshee” while embracing its lyrics that deal with overcoming self-doubt, silencing detractors, and finding the strength to take risks and fearlessly pursue your aspirations. The song’s message is underscored by one of Santigold’s most impassioned vocals and an explosive rhythm. The song appears on Santigold’s recent third album 99¢ (Atlantic Records).

“Banshee” is the latest of Santigold’s collaborations with renowned visual artists. She has previously collaborated with Wangechi Mutu, Kehinde Wiley, andPhotographer HAL. The idea to collaborate on a video came about when the 3 were in Milan attending a Gucci fashion show for a campaign that both Ari and Santi’s husband, Trouble Andrew, worked on. “We hung out all night, and at the end of the evening Kara and Ari said, ‘Let's do a video together!’ Santi explained, “and Kara snapped a silhouette photo of me in the dark as I stepped into my cab”. The video piece joins their singular styles and iconography to conjure a visual representation of Santigold’s world. Watch the “Banshee” film HERE and where it premiered on The New York Times.

Following her last album, Master of My Make Believe, Santigold (pronounced Sahn-Tee-Gold; Santi like “Monty”, not Santy like “Panty”) wanted to explore new corners of her sound and different ways to convey her vision and social commentary.  She worked with new collaborators Patrik Berger, Rostam Batmanglij, Hit-Boy, HazeBanga, Justin Raisen, Zeds Dead, ILOVEMAKONNEN, and Sam Dew and longtime cohorts John Hill, Dave Sitek, and Doc McKinney. The result is the bright and big sound of 99¢ that takes the genre-defying fearlessness Santigold has become known for to new places.

About Kara Walker: New York-based artist Kara Walker is best known for her candid investigation of race, gender, sexuality, and violence through silhouetted figures that have appeared in numerous exhibitions worldwide. Her work can be found in numerous museums and public collections including The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York; The Museum of Modern Art, New York; The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; The Tate Gallery, London; the Museo Nazionale delle Arti del XXI Secolo (MAXXI), Rome. In spring 2014, Walker’s first large scale public project, a monumental installation entitled A Subtlety: Or… the Marvelous Sugar Baby an Homage to the unpaid and overworked Artisans who have refined our Sweet tastes from the cane fields to the Kitchens of the New World on the Occasion of the demolition of the Domino Sugar Refining Plant, was on view at the abandoned Domino Sugar refinery in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

About Ari Marcopoulos: New York based artist Ari Marcopoulos uses photography, video, and film as his medium. His work is in the collection of SFMOMA, the Whitney Museum of American Art, FRAC, and Fotomuseum Winterthur. His photos have appeared in the NY Times, Arena Homme Plus, Vogue, Dazed and Confused and many more publications.  His 1990 film “Larry Wright” premiered on POV in 1990, He co- directed the film “Forrest Bess: Key to the Riddle” in 1999, and has directed music videos for the Beastie Boys and Rat King.  He shares directing and camera credits on art and snowboarding films including “the Walrus Dreams” and Matthew Barney’s “River of Fundament”. He collaborated with Jay-Z on the cover of Magna Carta Holy Grail. Marcopoulos has published over 200 of books and zines. His 2016 limited edition book “Epiphany” was produced with fashion brand Gucci. Rizzoli is publishing a monograph on his 40 years of work due out in September 2016.

Santigold.com