The Frist Art Museum presents Afrofuturistic Visions: Dreamscapes of Sicasso, a micro-exhibition that showcases the beauty of African American people, culture, and history. The gifted artist Sicasso encourages those who witness her work to immerse themselves in dreamscape spaces. The interior Of the Frist Ninth Avenue Elevator features five vinyl prints of Sicasso’s art, as well as a colorful light display. Guests will be taken on a visual journey through African American figures of power, resilience, and grace. In this retro-futuristic world, powerful Black characters take center stage, embodying strength, resilience, and creativity, exuding confidence and grace. Inspired by the vibrancy of the 1970s, each character is meticulously crafted to reflect the rich history and diverse heritage of Black culture, paying homage to icons such as Angela Davis while envisioning a future where Black excellence thrives.
The surreal landscapes within Sicasso’s dreamscapes are an amalgamation of fantasy and reality. Utilizing Midjourney via Discord, an AI image generator, Sicasso creates her stunning visuals by inputting descriptive phrases such as “’70s African American couple in a groovy rainbow room.” She seamlessly blends the resulting psychedelic AI art with Afrofuturist elements, creating an otherworldly experience that stimulates the senses.
Under the direction of student curator Samaria Jones, Afrofuturistic Visions is the second micro-exhibition produced through Project Uplift, an internship that gives HBCU students or recent graduates the opportunity to curate, design, develop, and market a program for a micro-exhibition featuring a local BIPOC artist. The exhibition opens August 11, 2023 and closes July 28, 2024.
As an abstract artist, Sicasso has always been drawn to the world of color and form. Growing up in a small town, she spent her days creating art in any medium she could find, never fully realizing the potential of her passion until 2020. That year, she took the leap and turned her love for art into a journey of entrepreneurship, leading to numerous opportunities such as being featured on the local news and creating murals all over Nashville. Through her art and her creative talent agency, Siiik Agency – Captured by Sicasso, she has had the pleasure of networking with a diverse group of business owners, spreading light and love through her unique form of self-expression. Her abstract work reflects her dedication to capturing the beauty of the world around her, and her agency serves as a platform to help other creatives shine their light and take their talents to the next level.
Samaria Jones is from Gary, Indiana. Her passion for art started at a young age when she would spend hours drawing and painting characters in her free time. As she got older, she realized that art was not just a hobby but something she wanted to pursue as a career. She chose to study studio art at Tennessee State University because of its program’s reputation for producing talented artists. Throughout her time at TSU, Samaria has worked to strengthen her skills in portraiture, focusing on capturing the emotions and expressions of her subjects. She believes that every person has a unique story to tell, and she wants to use her art to help them share it with the world. In addition to pursuing a career as a freelance artist, Samaria also hopes to become an art therapist. She believes that art can be a powerful tool for healing and self-expression, and she wants to use her talents to help others in need.
About Project Uplift
Project Uplift is an internship designed to offer a student or recent graduate from a historically Black college or university in Nashville an opportunity to curate, design, market, and develop a program for a micro-exhibition featuring a local artist of color.
Last call for these exhibitions: Storied Strings: The Guitar in American Art Ingram Gallery, closes August 13; Ron Jude: 12 Hz, Gordon Contemporary Artists Project Gallery, closes August 13; Guitar Town: Picturing Performance Today, Conte Community Arts Gallery, closes August 20; 2023 Teens Take the Frist! in the Education Corridor, Upper Level closes September 3; and Beatrix Potter: Drawn to Nature, Upper-Level Galleries, closes September 17.
