The Root Recommends: 'Artificial Afrika'

Living Colour’s Vernon Reid and the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art have teamed up to celebrate Black Music Month with a performance of Reid’s multimedia performance project Artificial Afrika at the National Portrait Gallery. Suggested Reading After New SNAP Work Requirements Take Effect, Americans Nation-Wide Are Panicking Why Mathew Knowles Walked Out Of An…

Living Colour’s Vernon Reid and the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art have teamed up to celebrate Black Music Month with a performance of Reid’s multimedia performance project Artificial Afrika at the National Portrait Gallery.

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Artificial Afrika combines scored music, a live performance, and computer-generated art made by Reid himself. The exhibit’s visual elements are inspired by many popular notions of Africa stemming from myth and invention. The digitally manipulated images representing Africa are accompanied by an energetic composition of live guitar and technological sounds. Dissident Display’s DJ Adrian Loving will lead a Q&A session after the performance.

Reid will perform Artificial Afrika this Saturday at 6:30 p.m. at the National Portrait Gallery (750 9th St., N.W.) in Washington, D.C.

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