Omí - Deepening Our Relationship With Water
Can water in its form, fluidity and essence influence how we approach our daily lives, struggles and experiences?
By African Leadership Academy
Curated by: Rayhana Mouaouia
Meet The Kreator!
Kenyan-born Umazi "The Kreator" Mvurya is a multidisciplinary visual artist and creative director who uses her art to drive social conversations. Umazi co-directed Omí to challenge the monopolizing academic lens in climate change and nature protection conversations.
Omí by Umazi MvuryaAfrican Leadership Academy
In a new series of video and photographic works, multidisciplinary artist Umazi “The Kreator'' Mvurya explores the theme of water and our relationship to it.
Omí by Umazi MvuryaAfrican Leadership Academy
Are we aware of how water makes us feel? Can we tap into this feeling to shift the dialogue from wanting to conserve water not just because we have to but also because we want to? Can we fall in love with water?
Omí by Umazi MvuryaAfrican Leadership Academy
Omí, which means Water in Yoruba, was produced to inspire, expand, and delve into the answers to the aforementioned questions and more.
Omí by Umazi MvuryaAfrican Leadership Academy
Coalescing and orbiting around the central message of
deepening our human relationship with water, Omí combines multiple visual and sonic layers together to personify the beauty of water.
The tryptic-style narration centers on 3 water deities: the demi-goddess of Rain (far left), the demi-goddess of the River (far right), and the goddess of the Oceans (center). The male character is on a self-discovery journey. He is guided by the deities to water as his final destination. In its lyrics and instrumentation, the sonic aspect through Afrocentric spoken word and soft delivery affirms the following message: From the water we were made, and to the water we shall come back.
Omí by Umazi MvuryaAfrican Leadership Academy
And by the conclusion, the message is clear and resonates deeply. Mvurya quotes famed musician Fela Kuti: “water no get enemy”.
Omí by Umazi MvuryaAfrican Leadership Academy
Omí by Umazi MvuryaAfrican Leadership Academy
Allow yourself to fall in love with water. Indulge in its fluidity. Become one with its essence.
More about Umazi:
A digital creator and content strategist by profession, Mvurya has over 10 years of experience in visual design, communication, branding and content marketing. She is ambitious and passionate about everything creative — especially surrealism art. Combining her passion for digital media and storytelling Mvurya began a global youth-led peace initiative, I AM KENYAN. The initiative garnered an audience of 8 million people globally voicing their support for a peaceful election in Kenya in 2013.
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Mvurya shot Omí with her collaborators Ayoinmotion and Chris "Baskuiat" Collazo in - and this is incredibly surprising - Central Park, New York! Her incredible talent in stage decor and directing made us feel Omí took place in its own world.
