Shana Moulton is an artist who works in video and performance. Her work blends feminist sensibilities with surrealist imagery and sound to probe the complexities of the contemporary psyche.
Her ongoing Whispering Pines series investigates self-help culture, the pursuit of spiritual fulfillment, and the often comical absurdities of personal wellness rituals. Across performances, videos, and installations, Moulton uses her alter ego, Cynthia, to craft narratives that are both deeply personal and widely relatable, exploring the shifting boundaries between the mundane and the mystical in an era of global digital capitalism. Cynthia is in constant pursuit of fulfillment through new-age kitsch, self-help paraphernalia, and cosmetic rituals. The series takes its name from the mobile home park where Moulton grew up, located between Fresno, California, and Yosemite National Park.
Through these works, Moulton transforms ordinary objects, domestic rituals, and everyday spaces into intimate, surreal landscapes that reflect on anxiety, consumerism, and the search for meaning in contemporary life.
Her work invites audiences into a playful yet contemplative world, where humor and vulnerability coexist, encouraging reflection on the ways we navigate self-care, technology, and personal transformation in the modern age.
Moulton’s videos have appeared in exhibitions and screenings around the world, with presentations at venues and festivals such as The Armory Show Art Fair, New York; Smack Mellon, Brooklyn; Loop '05 Video Festival, Barcelona; Rencontres internationales Paris/Berlin, Paris; Aurora, Edinburgh; Dark Light Festival, Dublin; Impakt Festival, Utrecht; Internationale Kurzfilmtage, Oberhausen; Canada Gallery, New York; and Bellwether, New York.
In Partnership with the Ann Arbor Film Festival.
This project was made possible by a grant from the Arts Initiative at the University of Michigan.
Series presenting partners: Detroit PBS, ALL ARTS, and PBS Books. Media partner: Michigan Public.