Zemi Moreno-Billingsley
Ordinary and everyday things make me wonder and drive my curiosity. I’m spontaneous in the way I approach photography and taking my photographs—I wait until the inspiration strikes. Photography is an exciting and intriguing way of producing art because,by freezing the moment in time, you can create a whole story that many people can interpret. All that in one photo is a very compact way of telling a narrative.
Photography can be used to show the realities of certain people or communities, and their stories, specifically ones that have not been portrayed in popular media. For me, it also lets me make ordinary, unappreciated things ornate and thought-provoking to look at. I also like to experiment with self-portraiture to help me express myself and my thoughts. Photographers I take inspiration from are Carrie Mae Weems, Cindy Sherman, Andre D Wagner, and Ming Smith. I am drawn to black-and-white photography that highlights a story in the image instead of the color or form. This type of black-and-white photography usually makes a bold statement about personal identity or culture. These are usually portraits of the photographer or of their community. They usually have a raw and intimate feeling, and the photographers have a sense of pride in who they are or who they are taking photos of. All my inspirations are particularly good at creating a strong feeling for the viewer, and I hope to express that in my work. Zemi Moreno-Billingsley, b. 2009
Can You See Yourself?, 2024
Digital inkjet print
Sheet: 20 × 16 in.Zemi Moreno-Billingsley, b. 2009
Sitting, Centered, 2024
Digital inkjet print
Sheet: 16 × 20 in.
Zemi Moreno-Billingsley was born in her living room. She now splits her time between her mother's apartment in Chelsea and her fathers in Washington Heights. She is a ninth grader at Saint Ann's School in Brooklyn and enjoys participating in many activities there, including the Black Student Union (BSU), African and modern dance, and photography. Zemi enjoys painting, reading, and learning about psychology in her free time. Any chance she gets to make art she will take it, and she hopes to put these passions into a full-fledged career as a psychiatrist with an interest in art.