Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley: What Would You Do?

Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley is an artist living and working in Berlin and London. Her work aims to archive the experiences of Black Trans people by creating video games and interactive experiences.

Influenced by early gaming history and personal experiences, her work aims to make audiences reflect on their choices and emotions rather than simply consume art passively. In this conversation with Severin, she discusses her journey from early experimental games to complex social installations such as Soul Station, 2024.

Her upcoming show at Serpentine London explores how interactive spaces can help strangers connect emotionally in an increasingly polarized world, challenging traditional gallery experiences while making art more socially functional.

GUEST

Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley is a Berlin-based artist who works predominantly in animation, sound, video game development, and performance, creating interactive spaces. Her practice focuses on intertwining lived experience with fiction to imaginatively retell the stories of Black Trans people.

HOST

Severin Matusek is a cultural theorist and founder of co—matter, a research & strategy studio exploring the cultural and societal impact of new technologies.