DC’s captivating art destination, ARTECHOUSE, unveiled its newest exhibit Ase: Afro Frequencies on June 13. Integrating history, art, and technology, the immersive experience kicks off the studio’s 5th anniversary and is open to guests of all ages.
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Ase: Afro Frequencies, an extension of ARTECHOUSE and Fraser’s earlier collaboration We Rise Above, is a modern depiction of Black history and culture. The first word in the title, ase, is interpreted as a call to invoke power to create real change.
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Vince Fraser, a London-based visual artist, constructed the multi-sensory exhibit with this in mind. The enlightening experience takes guests on a journey that merges art and activism.
“In conceptualizing the exhibition… I wanted to capture the balanced elements of sight and sound so that visitors could truly experience the power of African culture,” said Fraser, according to the studio’s press release.
Ursula Rucker, a Philadelphia-based poet, provides the enchanting spoken words that narrate the exhibition. Combined with hyperreal sounds of rhythmic drumming, Rucker’s poetry brings Fraser’s visuals to life.
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In the Immersion Gallery, the main display of the Afro-surrealist exhibit, Visions of the Black Experience, illuminates the sociocultural issues that strain the Black community. The audiovisual installation is a futuristic masterpiece, complete with a 270 degree array of larger-than-life projections and a 22.5-channel spatialized audio system that amplifies immersive, mesmerizing sounds for the audience.
“Making imaginations into reality, the talented team of 3D, interactive, technical, animation, and spatial designers at ARTECHOUSE Studio launched the potential of Vince’s work into a fully realized experiential exhibition,” said executive creative director Riki Kim, according to the studio’s press release.
Throughout the space, dynamic installations will imaginatively transport you to journeys with African kings and queens. Guests can even “wear” one of thirteen virtual African masks — similar to an Instagram filter.
Guests will have the opportunity to see themselves in a digital collage, thanks to the studio’s additional gallery and mobile app. Combining real and virtual environments, the XR Bar uses interactive artwork and virtual reality technology to display your image, mixed with and alongside other collage work.
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ARTECHOUSE is known for its artistic innovation, consistently pushing the boundaries of modern art and technology. The organization, which started as the nation’s first digital art studio, is now a hub for exploratory art forms that impact and empower.
For more information about ARTECHOUSE, visit www.artechouse.com. Tickets to Ase can be purchased here.
Photography by: ARTECHOUSE
