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Brian by Michael McCaffrey, 2020
Brian Hawkins (b. 1987 in Kansas City, Missouri) is a visual artist whose work is concerned with the patchwork of memories, historical narratives, and fiction that help us form a deeper understanding of ourselves and our place in the world. He has produced a series of intricate, cut-paper animations which draw inspiration from the music, folklore, and history of his native state.

Since 2016, Brian has been collaborating with the people of Old Mines, Missouri, folklorists, and linguists to produce animations based on Missouri French folklore. His short animation Chasse Galerite was an official selection for the prestigious Annecy International Animated Film Festival and won Best Animated Short at Cinema on the Bayou in Lafayette, Louisiana. His work has been supported by grants from the ArtsKC Regional Arts Council, the Charlotte Street Foundation, GLAS Animation, the Puffin Foundation, and the Terra Foundation for American Art. His documentary project Toujours Icitte (Still Here) has been supported by the Center for Independent Documentary, the Nous Foundation’s LeLab, and the International Organization of the Francophonie.

Brian teaches in the Department of Visual Art at the University of Kansas, the Department of Media, Art, and Design at the University of Missouri - Kansas City, and the Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures at the University of Missouri - Columbia.