Dontae Ball

Luna

Artist Statement

Growing up I Struggled. Trauma left me feeling that I was missing some key component of communication and interaction, which made it hard to feel that I connected to anyone growing up. Film and specifically anime bridged the gap. Immersing myself in the medium I began to realize that this feeling isn't one that I was feeling alone. Inspired by shows like Trigun, Soul Eater, and Fate/Stay Night I began to feel more whole. I met other people who loved the medium, the worlds, and the characters the same as I and I realized that my closets friends that I’ve made just from talking about a show upon meeting, that we fell in love with the medium for the same reason; we desired connection. Shows like Adventure Time, Steven Universe, and Mod Psycho are all shows that have something to say about how to interact with those around you. How much of ourselves we should express, how to communicate, and even how to love. These shows created these imaginative and vast worlds to do this juggling high concepts and creative world-building to make things real. I want to create one of my own that reflects my own ideologies and philosophies in hopes of connecting with others through it. The world they live in is still being ventured and they must learn and navigate it as they learn about themselves and connect as a group… the same way we must learn to connect with others.