In this live episode of Processa Talks, Kiara Cristina Ventura sits down with artist Emmanuel Massillon for a deep conversation on art, culture, and process. Together, they explore Emmanuel’s practice, the stories behind his work, and how his identity and experiences shape his vision as an artist.
Later in the episode, they are joined by artist Allen Golder-Carpenter to reflect on the Massillon's performance piece "Cell 72: The Cost of Confinement" at Harlesden High Street Gallery in London, where Allen inhabited the role of an inmate for three days in June 2025.
Recorded live at Studio Processa as part of the Processa Social Club series, this conversation unfolds with honesty, laughter, and insight into the realities of navigating the art world as a young Black conceptual artist.
About Emmanuel:
Emmanuel Massillon (b. 1998, Washington D.C.) is a conceptual artist whose practice spans painting, sculpture, performance, and sound. His work critically examines race, identity, and culture—especially as they relate to people of African descent—drawing from his upbringing in inner-city D.C., his Haitian heritage, and lived experience. Rejecting strictly polished aesthetics, Emmanuel often works with raw, tactile materials — found objects, hand-carved wood, cultural memorabilia, even food products — to evoke history, memory, and material storytelling. His visual language channels influences like Jazz, R&B, Rap, folk art, and street vernacular, creating layered narratives that blur formal boundaries. Emmanuel has exhibited internationally, and his work is held in significant collections including the Baltimore Museum of Art, C21 Museum, The Flint Institute of Arts, and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.
Connect with Emmanuel: https://www.emmanuel-massillon.com | @massi___
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This episode is part of PROCESSA TALKS, a podcast and curatorial series by Processa—a roving platform founded by Kiara Ventura that supports experimental exhibitions, conversations, and collaborations with Black and Brown artists.Learn more and check out our programs at: processa.art
Support the podcast and our physical space: processa.art/donate
Intro & outro beat credit. (non-profit): less is more by Mpsta & El J