Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley

Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley is a London- and Berlin-based artist and game designer whose practice prioritizes active engagement. Working predominantly in animation, sound, performance, and video game development, the artist’s practice focuses on intertwining lived experience with fiction to imaginatively retell and archive the stories of Black Trans people, creating participatory spaces to envision more inclusive futures.

Their projects often take the form of immersive video games, where players navigate choices that confront their assumptions and biases, fostering deeper conversations about identity, privilege, and systemic oppression. Through their innovative use of digital media, the artist not only preserves histories but also envisions inclusive futures where the voices of those that are often ignored or erased become central. Their work is both ​“archive and insurgency,” a catalyst for dialogue, inviting audiences to reflect on their roles within broader societal structures

Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley has presented solo exhibitions at Serpentine North, London (2025); LAS Foundation, Halle am Berghain, Berlin (2024); Fundació Joan Miró, Barcelona (2024); Studio Voltaire, London (2024); Centre d’Art Contemporain Genève (2024); SCAD Museum of Art, Savannah (2023); Villa Arson, Nice (2023); HAU Hebbel am Ufer, Berlin (2023); FACT, Liverpool (2022); Project Arts Centre, Dublin (2022); Skänes konstförening, Malmö (2022); Arebyte Gallery, London (2021); QUAD, Derby (2021); and Focal Point Gallery, Southend-on-Sea (2020). Their work has been included in group exhibitions at institutions such as Art Museum at the University of Toronto (2024); National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Seoul (2023); Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art, New York (2023); Das Centre Pompidou, Metz (2023); Julia Stoschek Foundation, Berlin (2022); Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo (2021); Les Urbaines, Lausanne (2019); and Barbican, London (2018). Their work has been the subject of screenings and performances at institutions including Tate Modern, London (2024, 2020); MoMA, New York (2023); DePaul Art Museum, Chicago (2023); Serpentine, London (2022); Spike Island, Bristol (2022); and South London Gallery (2022). Permanent collections include the Arts Council Collection (UK) and Victoria and Albert Museum (London).

With support from Design Core Detroit and Detroit Unesco City of Design.

Series presenting partners: Detroit PBS, ALL ARTS, and PBS Books. Media partner: Michigan Public.