Narrative & AR/VR/XR

It’s rare for Black womxn and girls to have a museum experience dedicated to our voices and stories alone. It’s not often that we are able to enter a space and feel welcomed, represented, or seen while learning about others who look like us. And as a Philadelphian, I know that the celebration of contributions that we’ve made on society through our creative works isn’t highlighted as an important history topic to teach students. As time passes, unfamiliarity also brews between the old school and the new school, leaving the art of Black womxn unacknowledged due to inexposure. These womxn have been the soundtracks to so many of our lives and have found the words to describe the feelings we couldn’t name. This digital art project that organizes Philly’s Black music herstory is my opportunity to fill this gap and pay homage to these artists. 

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This virtual exhibit space is filled with images of Black womxn and girls posing as Billie Holiday, Patti LaBelle, Phyllis Hyman, Jill Scott, Left Eye, Eve, DJ Diamond Kuts, Jazmine Sullivan, and Tierra Whack. These photos are accompanied by video clips created with audio of the actual artists whom we’re honoring overlaid with video footage of the models. In the audio gathered from interviews, the artists are talking about their creative identities and their accomplishments. 

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After entering the VR space in the center of the room and viewing the title and description ahead, visitors can interact with this content chronologically going clockwise or counterclockwise around the room from their starting position. Each visitor has their own video controls and has the freedom to explore the space as they wish. There is also the opportunity for visitors to create a situated learning environment via the chat box that is available for them to connect with other visitors and discuss their experience as they would in-person.

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Learning Objectives

• Visitors will be introduced to Black womxn artists from Philly and their works by way of the models and the recreated looks displayed through photo and video, including the archival interview audio used in the videos about these artists.

• Visitors will be introduced to a segment of Black music herstory via the stories and contributions of Black womxn artists from Philly.

• Visitors will be able to identify Philadelphia as the geographic origins of these nine Black womxn.

• Visitors will be able to connect and communicate with others with similar interests as they explore this learning environment, creating a sociocultural experience.

• Visitors will be inspired to conduct further study on these artists, listen to their music, and explore more of their stories.

• Visitors who are Black womxn and girls from Philly will be motivated to create their own works and contribute to the city’s Black music herstory as aspiring artists themselves.

• Visitors who value the arts and support arts education opportunities specific to Black womxn and girls will associate SIMBY with this work and donate to help our efforts.

• Visitors interested in the arts will seek arts education opportunities at SIMBY and beyond. 

• Visitors who are also educators will be inspired to implement the works of these artists into the curriculums of their history, literacy, music courses and more.