Sights & Sounds: Wayn O'Hara Reid

Common Discourse is a project designed to help others (and ourselves) think through creativity, focus, and intentional work—from Alex Tan & Alice Otieno.

Every Tuesday we share words from a few ideas, a quote from somebody else, and links worth sharing. On Fridays we invite a guest to share images from their camera roll and a sound that resonates with them. Words from the journal will come at least twice a month.

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Happy Friday! The past couple weeks have been spent travelling and trying to stay cool in the summer heat. It feels good to be at my desk again, writing and back to a regular rhythm.

This week’s contribution comes from Wayn O'Hara Reid, a Jamaican-America artist based in New York. Working through film and photography, his practice is rooted in communicating the black experience across diasporas, seeking to recontextualise a reality that feels fresh and relatable. Select works include collaborations with the likes of Google, Solange, and Telfar.

His images share sentiments I’ve been thinking a lot about recently. This idea of living life deeply and with our eyes and hands wide open. Putting your heart out there and seeing what comes from that openness.

I noted a similar thing a few back on Andrea’s Sights & Sounds as it pertains to this season. I love how summer offers us a sense of possibility and encourages us to try again, to live more truly and to risk it all knowing that any good thing costs us something.

— Alice

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Sights —

Lately I’ve been in my era of joy. This year seems to be the year of change and transformation for me and finding my centre has been essential.

Embracing life wholly. Open mouth kissing life with my tongue down its throat on the dance floor is the vibe.

This sucker punched me in the gut. I think all of us as artists could relate to that crippling fear and anxiety of creating. This reminded me to dance with it and make it a part of me so that I can continue to create beyond attachment to the result.

Sounds —

@mindingmobI cant listen to this song without thinking about this man😭😭😭😭 #southsideju #allthethings #carkaraoke

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