Artist Spotlight - Sonia Jourdian
“I was inspired to start creating by what I felt like was a lack of womxn in cinematography, especially black womxn. I am inspired when I see other womxn, femmes, POC in roles that we are not predominantly in. That's why I create art, to help bridge the gap that exist in these roles.” says Sonia Jourdian a local Chicago Filmmaker and fellow family member of Camera Ambassador. Sonia's warm and welcoming personality and her sharp eye for cinematography truly make Sonia stand out in the film community.
When talking about the ethics of creating, and the roles artist play in society today, Sonia mentioned “The artist’s role is similar to that of a teacher & historian. Artists create work that withstands the hand of time. Work that future generations can/may/will study to understand how we existed as a society, a blueprint of sorts. For example, if you look back on films like the "Matrix", books like "1984", or graphic novels "V For Vendetta" they warn us about totalitarian societies. A more recent example is Jordan Peele's "Get Out' or Boots Riley’s "Sorry To Bother You" film's discussing issues that are still affecting us today.” The importance of artist and media consumers like Sonia is irreplaceable; we need more creators like her.
Photo credit: kdudley_photography
When talking about the themes Sonia’s art focuses on, Sonia mentions, “I've noticed that the work I create is capturing the essence of blackness in Chicago. My goal is to expand on it to other states, countries, and beyond. I also want to begin expanding on magic and spirituality, specifically traditional African religions.”
Sonia is inspired by and would love to work with artists such as, Lacy Duke, Janelle Monae, Ashley Armitage, Issa Rae, Kendrick Lamar, Rachel Morrison, Princess Nokia, Jordan Oram, and Lion Babe. These are just the first few who come to mind. Little does Sonia know, that we are inspired by her and everything she is creating here in Chicago and beyond. Go check out Sonia’s work on her instagram: @jour.dai and keep an eye out for her. We have a feeling we will be seeing a lot more of her in the future.