JOURNEY INTO AFROCOSMICMELATOPIA

THE JOURNEY (Zine): A Self Love Practice Of Diving Inwards To See Divinely Outward

AfroCosmicMelatopia is a future world of infinite possibilities for liberation, inclusion and empowerment for all people. It exists 100 years from now as the capital City of future Earth. Perhaps it need not feel so far away should we move our tools into Present day. Re-imagining the Past is to see and awaken a new future.

Your Journey Into AfroCosmicMelatopia experience is powered by the creativity of youth and young adults from across New York City served by the Weill Music Institute. The vision, values, art, and culture experienced here are the brainchild of those young artists.

THE JOURNEY (Zine): A Self Love Practice Of Diving Inwards To See Divinely Outward

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APPRECIATIONS - GRATITUDE - ACKNOWLEDGMENTS - UPLIFTMENT

Overall concept and invitation - Ayanna Cole | LeBrandon Smith | Caitlin Arias —— Carnegie Hall Social Impact & Education Programs

Creative & Artistic Direction - Aisha Shillingford & Terry Marshall - Intelligent Mischief/WDL

Production Design & Creative Production - Violet Asmara Tafari - Freequency Connects

Lighting Design & Direction - Cierra King

Production Management & Operations - Sam Livingston, Anna Holt, Lara Atry (Carnegie Hall) | Hawah Hankins (Intelligent Mischief)

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SPACE/TIME TRAVEL POD - Taylor McKensie (Actor) | Terry Marshall (Writer) | Aisha Shillingford (Director) | Zenmondo Jacques (Editor)

WELCOME GARDEN - Taylor McKensie (Actor) | Terry Marshall (Writer) | Aisha Shillingford (Director) | Zenmondo Jacques (Editor)

HALL OF ANCESTORS:

Map of AfroCosmicMelatopia

Malanya G. , 30 NYC
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8 in. x 10 in. gouache painting of a speculative map to/of AfroCosmicMelatopia.

Spaceship

Anonymous participant, Future Music Project
Brooklyn juvenile justice detention center

Afrofuturism & Us

Belmont Hope, participant, Future Music Project
Brooklyn juvenile justice detention center

Dala’s Depth

Daniella Omeruo, 22, Bed Stuy
Dimensions 1668 × 2388
Created with procreate
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Dala’s Depth celebrates the beauty of Black women, Black hair and Black skin. I remember watching Moonlight a couple years back and the quote, “in moonlight, Black boys are blue..” has always stuck with me. I think about the emotion that deep colors like dark blue evokes. I think about the Blues as a music genre and the sorrow that is tied up in it and its origin. In AfroCosmicMelatopia, Black people are able to just be. They can be. Their deep blues don’t evoke sadness. They live freely. Their deep blues aren't a threat to their lives. Their emotions aren’t policed. Their hair can be. Their beauty can be. Their melanin can thrive, grow deep, evolve and just be. They have stepped away from whiteness completely as a status quo and default. Dala grows her hair however it wants free from any type of white gaze.

Untitled

Nakiah Kennedy, 19
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When I hear the words “AfroCosmicMelatopia” I think of Power, Nature, Afro-Culture, and Black Excellence. I pictured a Beautiful Black woman, with attention grabbing features, and a beautiful big Afro. In my piece her hair Stand for Power and Culture. Her big eyes and lips are to represent and embrace the beautiful features we Black/African People are born with. On her head band the letters “ACM” are in Red, Yellow, and Green for Black Excellence. Red is for the blood shed, Green is for fertility and yellow is for justice/Equality.

Sculpture of a goddess in contemplation

Pryce Jones, 50, Oakland

Dreams Tonite

Kriss Munsya, 34, Vancouver

Mirror Mirror

Kriss Munsya, 34, Vancouver

Romantic Dreaming

Kriss Munsya, 34, Vancouver

Strange or Be Forgotten

Kriss Munsya, 34, Vancouver

MIPSTERZ (Abbas Rattani, Yusuf Siddiquee, Sumer Zuberi, Shimul Chowdhury, Sofia Khan, Akifa Khan, Sara Alfageeh, Aisha Jemila Daniels, Heba Habib, Anum Hussain, Fatima Shahzad)
San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York City, Boston, Louisville, Tampa, Sweden, Ethiopia
Ages 24 - 36
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MIPSTERZ is an arts and culture collective for emerging Muslim creatives. We enable and amplify Muslim creative voices by presenting and producing original works for general audiences.
https://mipsterz.com

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Credits for Photos: MIPSTERZ. 2021. Photography by Diane Valera for MIPSTERZ

MARKET PLACE

Projection Design & Direction - Cierra King
Projection Art - Alda Boyd
Interactive Web-based Art:
Shanna Sabio - https://conjuringutopia.com/
JASZALYN - https://newart.city/show/blackbeyon
Kofi Oduro -
Video & Motion Art: