Maya Cruz.

Maya Cruz is a Chicago based artist and director. Originally from New Jersey, she was brought to the midwest to attend the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), studying film and video as an undergrad. Cruz has spent the last four years in Chicago building a body of work through collaborating with other artists and strengthening her craft as a filmmaker.  She has worked for artists such as Sophie Cates to create music videos like Boys in Bands.

 

Cruz’s work and the way she navigates collaborations is often influenced by her own identity and experiences. As a woman of color, casting or working with people of color and women (especially black women) is very important. To create a space that people of color can occupy without necessarily critiquing that space is an important aspect of Cruz’s work.