Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art Welcomes Innovative, Immersive Exhibition Aṣẹ: Afro Frequencies Opening December 23
Download Press Release — Aṣẹ: Afro Frequencies — Bellagio
LAS VEGAS (December 15, 2021) – Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art announces the December 23 opening of Aṣẹ: Afro Frequencies, a multi-sensory digital art exhibition presented by ARTECHOUSE in collaboration with Afro-Surrealist visual artist Vince Fraser and poet Ursula Rucker.
Taking visitors through an immersive, interactive journey, Aṣẹ: Afro Frequencies will celebrate the historical, social and cultural aspects of the Black experience through the artists’ lens, brought to life in a new digital interactive context.
Designed around the Yoruban philosophy of aṣẹ (pronounced ah-shay), meaning our power to exact change, this exhibition features installations inspired by West African traditions, presenting them as symbols of Black culture and hope.
The exhibition will feature 14 distinct encounters, each of which immerses the visitor in understandings of rebirth, bringing historical frameworks to life. For instance, tribal masks are doorways into concepts beyond the realm of the everyday, with each tribe in Africa having its own distinct traditional style and meaning. With seven installations of the Egungun series, visitors are encouraged to consider the various meanings behind traditional tribal masks and what it feels like to wear one.
Additionally, the immersive and transformative installation, Black Experience, is inspired by the concept of rebirth. The featured figure is pulsing with an outward energy, shifting and transforming before one’s eyes. As visitors step in front of the work, suddenly they find themselves at the center of it, standing on the pedestal and undergoing a self-transformation.
“Aṣẹ: Afro Frequencies is unlike any exhibit we’ve welcomed to Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art previously and its execution is remarkable,” said Tarissa Tiberti, Executive Director of MGM Resorts Art & Culture. “It’s an honor for us to offer visitors an unforgettable experience that communicates messages with such cultural relevance in addition to pushing the boundaries between art and technology.”
The debut of Aṣẹ: Afro Frequencies at Bellagio comes on the heels of the exhibit’s incredible inaugural success at ARTECHOUSE in Miami where it was named “Best Exhibition” in Time Out Miami’s “Best of the City 2021 Awards.”
Sandro Kereselidze, ARTECHOUSE Founder & Chief Creative Officer, said, “We are thrilled to extend our world-class, innovative art exhibition programming to Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art, Las Vegas’ premier exhibition space. This exciting partnership and collaboration is the first important milestone in ARTECHOUSE’s efforts to share the new age immersive, technology-driven art experiences with diverse audiences across the nation, as well as a global audience outside of the U.S.”
Aṣẹ: Afro Frequencies reflects MGM Resorts’ commitment to reshaping and diversifying its fine art collection as a vehicle for providing a platform for underrepresented voices including women, artists of color and the LGBTQIA+ community.
Aṣẹ: Afro Frequencies will be on view daily at BGFA December 23, 2021 – April 18, 2022
10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Last admissions sold 30 minutes prior to closing.
Tickets are $18 for adults, $16 for Nevada residents, and $15 seniors 65 and older, students, teachers and military with valid ID. Children 5 and younger are free.
For additional information, call (702) 693-7871 or (877) 957-9777, or visit bellagio.com/bgfa.
ABOUT BELLAGIO GALLERY OF FINE ART
Located at the heart of Bellagio Resort & Casino, Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art is Las Vegas’ premier exhibition space. Since opening in 1998, the gallery has presented exhibitions of artworks and objects drawn from internationally acclaimed museums and private collections, including Yayoi Kusama, Primal Water: An Exhibition of Contemporary Japanese Art; Samurai: Armor from the Ann and Gabriel Barbier-Mueller Collection; Town and Country: From Degas to Picasso; Yousuf Karsh: Icons of the 20th Century; Picasso: Creatures and Creativity; Fabergé Revealed; and Warhol Out West.
ABOUT ARTECHOUSE
A pioneer in the field of experiential art, ARTECHOUSE creates and produces innovative technology-driven exhibitions, expanding the possibilities of art and how we experience it. ARTECHOUSE connects audiences to the arts and stimulates interest in the limitless possibilities of technology, science and creativity, with a mission to inspire, educate, and empower the creation of new, experiential and exploratory art forms. artechouse.com \\ @artechouse \\ #artechouse