Issa Rae Partners With Lifewtr to Launch Life Unseen, a Platform for Fair Representation in the Arts
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Lifewtr, a premium bottled water brand committed to advancing and showcasing sources of creativity, has teamed up with writer, producer and actress Issa Rae for the launch of Life Unseen, the brand’s new platform dedicated to fair representation in the arts.
Life Unseen seeks to raise awareness to the systemic disparities that continue to stifle equitable access and exposure across the arts, celebrate the work of diverse creatives and help cultivate new opportunities for the next generation.
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As part of the platform’s introduction, Life Unseen will have four key campaign elements. First is the Life Unseen Study, which was developed by the Institute for Quantitative Study of Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity. The study seeks to increase awareness of representational blind spots and systemic disparity across four major creative industries — fashion, film, music and visual arts — that impact those of diverse, underrepresented backgrounds, including people of color, persons with physical disabilities, the LGBTQ community and women.
The campaign also features 20 artists, creatives spanning fashion, film, music and visual arts, who have been selected to showcase their artistic expressions and stories with the world. Each creative was asked to submit their own inspired pieces of artwork, which will be featured on the Lifewtr brand’s largest bottle collection to date.
The Life Unseen Artist Collection features fashion creatives Bristol Studio, (creative directors Luke Tadashi, Jake Fenster, Rashaad Dixon and Maasai Ephriam); Christina Mallon, inclusive designer; Desiree Scarborough, artist and designer; Pierre Davis and No Sesso, cofounder and designer; and Ginew designers and cofounders Erik Brodt and Amanda Bruegl.
In addition, there will be a Life Unseen launch video, serving as a visual representation of what happens when artistic works go unseen, featuring a range of creatives in front of and behind the camera.
Finally, Lifewtr and Rae are calling upon the next generation of creatives to share their own concepts using the hashtag #LifeUnseenContest, now through July 30, for a chance to receive exposure through the Lifewtr platform, mentorship from Rae and $10,000 to fund their future endeavors. Five creatives will be revealed later this summer, based on three criteria including Power of Story, Creativity and Originality.
“As a creative and an avid consumer, I’ve witnessed firsthand how bias flows through fashion, film, music, visual arts and other creative territories,” said Rae. “Lifewtr understands that creativity literally doesn’t exist without diversity of culture, perspective and interpretation. Together, we’re inviting everyone to help shine a light so the work of unseen artists can be seen.”
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