Marques Redd:

Marques Redd is a traditional African cosmologist, filmmaker, and co-founder of Rainbow Serpent, an organization at the intersection of Black LGBTQ art, technology, and spirituality. His work centers on reviving and evolving indigenous African knowledge systems, especially from ancient Egyptian and West African traditions.

A Harvard and UC Berkeley graduate, Redd co-directed the acclaimed dance film Obi Mbu (The Primordial House), which has toured widely and is now being exhibited internationally. His other major projects include an AR performance based on Igbo mythology, a series of glass sculptures depicting Black queer deities, and site-specific performances that blend ritual, mythology, and emerging technology.

Mikael Owunna:

Mikael Owunna is a Nigerian-Swedish American filmmaker, multimedia artist, engineer, and Mid-Atlantic Emmy nominee. As co-founder of Rainbow Serpent, his work blends technology, art, and African cosmologies to envision a liberatory future rooted in traditional African knowledge. His art has been exhibited globally and collected by major institutions like Tate Modern and the Smithsonian.

Owunna’s work has been featured in outlets such as The New York Times, CNN, and The Guardian, and he has lectured at venues including Harvard Law School and TEDx. He has published two monographs and created large-scale public art commissions for organizations like the Andy Warhol Museum and Pittsburgh International Airport.