CINEMATIC
SUMMER
CELEBRATION

FEATURING TWO ARTISTIC EXPERIENCES
IN ONE LOCATION

About the Exhibition

Aṣẹ: Afro Frequencies | Timeless Butterflies

Step into a summer celebration at ARTECHOUSE NYC, with two cinematic experiences: Ase: Afro Frequencies and Timeless Butterflies.

Pixels bloom into vivid life in Timeless Butterflies, unfurling in a symphony of hues and forms, transforming the space into a captivating visual spectacle, bursting with color, movement and enchantment.

Bold, beautiful, powerful, Ase: Afro Frequencies is a vibrant Afrosurrealist exhibition featuring the work of London-based Afro-surrealist digital artist Vince Fraser along with poetry by ursula rucker. The spirit of aṣẹ — a powerful affirmation and philosophical belief held by the Yoruba people of West Africa, meaning “so will it be” — reverberates throughout this vibrant and meditative exhibition. Everyone should experience this immersive story of resilience, cultural celebration, and the possibility of the future.

Alongside the two Immersion Gallery experiences, you can explore other multi-sensory and interactive experiences from Ase: Afro Frequencies combining film, technology, Afrosurrealism and poetry.

“The elements in Aṣẹ portray the boundaries and the limitations that we experience as people of color in daily life, but at the same time, I’m also focusing on paying homage to our ancestors. In conceptualizing the exhibition with ARTECHOUSE Studio, I wanted to capture the balanced elements of sight and sound so that visitors could truly experience the power of African culture,” said Vince Fraser.

The exhibition’s visuals are echoed by pulsating rhythmic drums and stirring performance from Philadelphia-based poet and musician ursula rucker. A Leeway Foundation’s Transformation Award winner, rucker’s words of empowerment, ancestry, and social justice powerfully narrate the exhibition.

The immersive multi-sensory show is the latest in the ARTECHOUSE series of collaborations with some of the leading digital and performance artists.

About the artist

Vince Fraser

“Vision is the art of seeing what is impossible to others.”

Bridging the gap between fantasy and reality, Afro-surrealist Vince Fraser’s mission is to inspire and empower positive, powerful imagery of the African diaspora.

Fraser regards himself as a new breed of artist in the digital age—combining elements of film and motion with his keen eye for detail and playful visual experimentation.

Over twenty years as a digital illustrator, Fraser has collaborated with a variety of institutions including Nike, Toyota, MTV, and more.

Aṣẹ: Afro Frequencies is a continuation of ARTECHOUSE’s collaboration with Fraser following the XR app experience “We Rise Above” launched in August 2020.

In solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement and the anniversary of the March on Washington, Fraser’s art was brought to life in extended reality so that anyone, anywhere could activate and engage with his art and activism.

 

About the artist

ursula rucker

ursula rucker is an interdisciplinary poet, performer, and recording artist whose work reflects on personal history, family, and place. She characterizes her work as situated “along the edge of the terrains of poetry.” rucker has released five albums and collaborated with a wide range of artists outside of the field of poetry, including The Roots, musicians and Pew Fellows Jamaaladeen Tacuma and King Britt, and, most recently, Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Clarence Williams III. She has toured with her live performance memoir, My Father’s Daughter, which she describes as “90 minutes of self-truth and discovery.”

In 2017, she collaborated with Nigerian sound and installation artist Emeka Ogboh to create Logan Squared: Ode to Philly, which featured an epic poem by rucker that reflected Philadelphians’ voices and visions for the city. The work was presented as part of Mural Arts Philadelphia’s Center-supported, citywide Monument Lab exhibition. A Philly 360 Creative Ambassador and recipient of Leeway Foundation’s Transformation Award, rucker is the subject of the 2008 documentary ursula rucker: Poet, directed by Michael J. Dennis.

About the artist

ARTECHOUSE Studio

ARTECHOUSE Studio is an interdisciplinary team of designers, architects, producers, and storytellers working together to turn ideas and concepts into cutting-edge, technology-driven experiences.

 

ARTECHOUSE Studio has worked on projects with industry leaders such as NASA, the Society for Neuroscience, Pantone Color Institute, Nobel Prize Museum, and others, bringing its expertise to realize complex and multifaceted presentations.

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