Artechouse NYC: Aṣẹ: AFRO FREQUENCIES

ARTECHOUSE, a pioneer in innovative, experiential art, is pleased to announce its latest exhibition, Aṣẹ: Afro Frequencies (Aṣẹ), debuting in New York City at ARTECHOUSE NYC on March 22 and on display through the summer.

Created by ARTECHOUSE Studio, the exhibition features the work of London-based Afro-surrealist digital artist Vince Fraser along with evocative poetry by ursula rucker. Open to all ages, the exhibition is a vibrant reflection upon the past, present, and future of the Black experience through the eyes of the artists. Aṣẹ (pronounced “AH-shay”), the title of the exhibition is derived from a powerful mantra, affirmation, and philosophical belief held by the Yoruba people of West Africa, meaning “so will it be.” Drawn on to invoke the power to produce positive change, its spirit reverberates throughout the exhibit. Fraser and Rucker's creative contribution, brought to life by ARTECHOUSE Studio, honors the legacy, struggles, and complexities of the Black experience with creativity, courage, and imagination.

Aṣẹ: Afro Frequencies continues our legacy of communicating culturally relevant themes while still pushing the boundaries between art and technology. This collaboration with Vince Fraser and ursula rucker is an important milestone in ARTECHOUSE’s efforts to amplify new artistic perspectives and voices and share technology-driven art experiences with diverse audiences across the nation,” says Sandro Kereselidze, Co-Founder & Chief Creative Officer of ARTECHOUSE. Continuing its reputation as an incubator for boundary-pushing artists in the new age of digital arts, ARTECHOUSE Studio collaborated with Fraser to further amplify his work at the intersection of art, technology, and activism. Aṣẹ’s visuals are echoed by pulsating rhythmic drums and evocative narration by Philadelphia-based poet ursula rucker. A Leeway Foundation Transformation Award winner known for her work with The Roots, Louie Vega, and more, Rucker’s words intricately narrate the exhibition, connecting the dots of Fraser’s imagery and speaking to similar themes of empowerment, ancestry, and social justice. The centerpiece of the exhibition, Vision of the Black Experience, takes visitors on a journey through universal themes of resilience, cultural celebration, and the possibility of the future.

Utilizing the largest seamless megapixel count projections of any cultural institution together with Hyperreal Sound technology, the installation unfolds in a four-part journey featuring Fraser’s distinctive designs and Rucker’s poignant poetry, reflecting on the current zeitgeist, the mystical realms of African culture that have profoundly influenced the global popular culture, and a vision of a hopeful future. The piece culminates into a new final chapter showcasing Fraser’s recent experiments with AI tools, demonstrating the artist’s evolution and reflection upon the potential of digital innovation to expand the boundaries of artistic expression.

The core cinematic experience is supported by interactive auxiliary galleries exploring the exhibition’s themes of rebirth, community, and spiritual connection, such as Thousand Masks, an audio-visual piece that celebrates the diversity of culture found throughout Africa; and Afrikanism, an interactive, futuristic African map that shifts and echoes below the visitors’ feet with captivating reimaginations of the African continent.