in response_Hyungtae Kim <> Savanah Leaf
A writer responds to a director's two short films, screened and discussed as part of 5x5
Orignal format
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03AUGUST2025: writer Hyungtae Kim in response to artist Savanah Leaf, following the 5x5 conversation on and screening of RUN + RUN 002, two single-channel videos functioning as a self-portrait that explores the physicality of the Black female form.
Hyungtae Kim is a Ph.D. candidate in English at UC Berkeley and a Research Fellow at Ortuzar Projects. He writes about hesitation and black art.
Currently part of our Studio Program at 99 Canal, Savanah Leaf is an artist, filmmaker, and 2012 Olympian whose work bridges cinema and contemporary art. Her debut feature Earth Mama premiered at Sundance to critical acclaim and was released theatrically by A24 and Film4. The film earned her the BAFTA Award for Outstanding Debut, a BIFA for Best Debut Director, and placement on the National Board of Review’s list of top debut films of 2023. Leaf’s film-based installations have been exhibited at institutions including Hauser & Wirth and SFMOMA, and will soon be on view at Crystal Bridges and the Pérez Art Museum Miami.
references…
in conversation_Savanah Leaf x Kyle Abraham x Habiba Hopson
24JULY2025: a conversation between artist Savanah Leaf, choreographer Kyle Abraham, and curator Habiba Hopson, following the screening of RUN + RUN 002
“Demolition footage of the Nakagin Capsule Tower in Tokyo | Dezeen,” 0:07-0:08.
“The ear is the organ that connects the intimate and the public.”
Nat Raha + Willa Smart @ Et Al etc., SF, 11:33-33:22. Willa Smart
Bigger Than Life, Mary Anne Doane, 2022
"Zorns Lemma,” Hollis Frampton, 1970
“Black Meme,” Legacy Russell, 2024
Children of Men, Alfonso Cuarón, 2006
onituska tiger cinephile
99 Canal is an artist-run Studio and Public Program.
As a 501(c)3 Non-Profit, our mission is to facilitate artists' access to affordable professional studios and expose the public to live, experimental practices in Lower Manhattan, New York City.
We are providing space for artists to be in dialogue with artists, understanding the urgency of sharing open-ended work and ideas with a dedicated public. By supporting experimental practices such as moving images and performance art, we’re building a responsive platform for cultural engagement and community-rooted patronage.