Immerse yourself in an interactive combination of storytelling and visual art!
The Art Gallery of Greater Victoria (AGGV) has revealed their newest upcoming exhibition, Afroquatics: A Call and Response Below the Surface—a projected video/interactive, augmented reality installation by City of Victoria Artist in Residence, Kemi Craig.
Craig’s installation is made in collaboration with Hololabs, specializing in digital media, and it’s curated by Steven McNeil, the AGGV Chief Curator and Director of Collections and Exhibitions.
Afroquatics draws inspiration from the African spiritual practices of Orisha and this world of expert free divers in West Africa, as well as underwater worlds imagined by many artists and storytellers of the African diaspora.
The exhibition will run from Saturday, February 17th through to Sunday, May 26th in the AGGV’s Drury Gallery, and is hoped to spark conversation, challenge perceptions, and transport viewers into an underwater landscape.
To commemorate this exciting new addition to the AGGV’s collection of incredible works, the public is invited to attend a free public Open House event on Saturday, February 17th from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The installation will be one of over 20 public art installations featured in the City’s Winter Art Festival, running in downtown Victoria over the Family Day long weekend, February 16th to 19th, open daily from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Additionally, there will be a free reception for Afroquatics on Friday, March 15th from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., where guests will have the opportunity to meet the artist and chat about the piece.
Both the Open House event and reception will take place at the AGGV.
“We’re very excited, the folks from Hololabs are working down to the wire,” Craig told Victoria Buzz.
Craig laughed and added that it’s all coming together, and that they knew it was going to take a while to achieve what they wanted with this installation.
Especially when there are multiple artists present working with different mediums, it’s really important not to rush and to take the time to get to know each other’s strengths.
“When artists have different mediums, you need time to get to know each other’s languages.”
Craig, with her focus on movement and wanting to bring forth elements of Black history and Afrofuturism, asked herself what kinds of elements could be added to really bring this piece to life—which is where she sought out Hololabs, as their technological contribution would support this visual expression.
“We’ve had a lot of experience mixing media,” said Amesh Narsing with Hololabs and Technical Director on Afroquatics.
“This was the perfect opportunity to do something important and utilize our technology know-how…to collaborate with the storytelling.”
Craig highlighted the hope that everyone will leave the space feeling empowered to take action as well as feel inspired by the visuals.
“Through the means of augmented reality, you have this layering where it takes on a supernatural visual quality, if you will,” Craig said.
Narsing added that there’s a connectedness in the experience, that everyone that walks through is contributing to the room and is a part of the art itself.
“The most important part of the experience is the idea of the connection between past, present, and future—all of my ancestors and people that will come after me are all connected. I think that is the most moving and critical thing about this whole piece.”
They both invite everyone down to experience it for themselves and to check out the other incredible installations that are happening as a part of the Winter Arts Festival—a massive collection of arts, music, colour, and sound that will be strewn across Victoria’s downtown core.
If you’d like to learn more about the Winter Arts Festival, you can visit their website and read about the other installations.
Afroquatics: A Call and Response Below the Surface
- Where: AGGV, 1040 Moss Street
- When:
- Exhibition: Saturday, February 17th to Sunday, May 26th during gallery hours
- Open House: Saturday, February 17th from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Free reception: Friday, March 15th from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
 has revealed their newest upcoming exhibition, Afroquatics: A Call and Response Below the Surface—a projected video/interactive, augmented reality installation by City of Victoria Artist in Residence, Kemi Craig. ){kind=link}