Cali Banks

Department of Film and Media Arts

Instructor, Film

Cali Banks

Shaffer Art Building
Syracuse, NY 13244



Born and raised in Syracuse, New York, Cali M. Banks is an interdisciplinary artist of Munsee Lenape and Scottish descent. She holds an M.F.A. in interdisciplinary media arts practices from the University of Colorado Boulder and a B.A. in art and technology and global health studies from Allegheny College.

Banks is the communications coordinator for Light Work and an instructor of photography, video art and filmmaking for Syracuse University, Indiana University campuses and Pratt Institute's Munson campus. Banks is also a 2024 En Foco Photography Fellow, a current workspace resident at Penumbra Foundation and received the Fall 2024 Visionary Project Award from Film Photo Award.

Her artistic practice reclaims identity through auto-ethnographic, experimental photography and filmmaking. Her work explores personal and collective histories, relational intimacies, and the expansion of narrow, flattened definitions of indigenous art. 

In recent times, she has exhibited work at Art Basel Miami, Every Woman Biennial London, RedLine Contemporary Art Center, Tiger Strikes Asteroid Philadelphia, Atlanta Film Festival and Anthology Film Archives. She is also a featured artist in issues no. 24, 26 and 38 of The Hand Magazine and has been published on Lomography and Lenscratch. 

Education

  • M.F.A., University of Colorado Boulder
  • B.A., Allegheny College