A2A: "Songs From The Hole"

This week on Artist 2 Artist, Patrisse Cullors sits down with the team behind the SXSW film, “Songs From The Hole”. JJ'88, richie reseda, and Contessa Gayles offer us a poignant reminder that a commitment to our artistic expression, is a commitment to heal, transform and inform our communities. A documentary visual album, "Songs from the Hole" made its premiere at SXSW last month. Directed and co-written by Contessa Gayles, the film follows JJ'88 and his innermost experience as he serves a double-life sentence in prison. Introducing the public to the life and music of JJ'88, the film uses imaginative creations of memory, dreams, spiritual experiences, and interviews, set to JJ'88's original music, produced by richie reseda. Exploring the intersection of art and accountability, this weeks’ conversation explores the process by the team collaborated on their film, and the importance of centering the artistic voices and experiences of incarcerated individuals. Through the process of creating his music with richie reseda, and bringing his album to the screen with Contessa, JJ’88 reflects on the power of finding community, and the deeply cathartic, healing and artistically triumphant film they created. Contessa, JJ’88 and richie are a brilliant example of using film as a conscious, authentic medium to highlight a narrative that has the power to reshape our society. “Songs from the Hole” is currently being shown at film festivals and plans are underway for an impact campaign to bring it to prisons, jails, and communities impacted by state violence and gun violence. Contessa continues to spearhead poignant documentary narratives. JJ’88 has released his fourth single, "Hustla's Lament", and richie reseda serves as the Creative and Political Director of Foreveryone Collective, a space dedicated to supporting the artistic and economical contributions of incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals. This week, we call you to revolutionize your ideas of documentary filmmaking, examine your personal sense of expression, and open your ears to the authentically human, raw, and inspirational journey this film has shared with the world.