Aquarius Ester is an experimental artist, clinical massage therapist and Afro-Surrealist filmmaker from the Roseland/West Pullman neighborhoods of Chicago.

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Aquarius was one of OTV's 2020 Film Fellows and her script, Second Sunday, has been selected for Full Spectrum Feature's 2021 Independent Producer's Lab. In 2021, Aquarius received the Englewood Arts Collective's United Still Grant for Second Sunday.

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Her recent past works include the 2021 short film, New Hire, vocals/movement/lyrics with the Afro-Surrealist collective, Zo//Ra, movement/vocals with the Participatory Music Coalition, as well as solo works in support of Angel Bat Dawid, Ayako Kato, Honey Pot Performance, and other Chicago based artists.

 

She worked as a special effects make-up artist on the set of Searching For Isabelle, Brujos, Bring the Beat Back, FCK Yes, and more. Her experimental dance film, Ambivert has screened at Black Cinema House, The Petty Biennial, and Silver Screen Sundays and can be viewed today on OTV’s website. 

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Aquarius graduated from The Soma Institute for Clinical Massage and is the owner/operator of Black Rising LLC. Her mission is to create works of art, community programming and provide soft tissue work that aids Black Chicagoans in recovering from the mental, physical and spiritual effects of global colonization.