This Juneteenth, the New Orleans African American Museum unveils Ancestral Odyssey, a groundbreaking permanent installation by British artist Vince Fraser.
Curated by Executive Director Gia Hamilton, this immersive Afrosurrealist experience reimagines New Orleans’ Black Masking Indian traditions through the lens of Afrofuturism and advanced digital art.
The exhibition is a result of a two-year collaboration between Hamilton and Fraser, both visionaries committed to preserving and transforming cultural narratives.
Blending oral history, spirituality, and technology, Ancestral Odyssey invites visitors to journey across layered realms of memory and imagination, where ancestral knowledge meets modern creative tools like AI, machine learning, and 3D animation.
“Vince’s work made me believe again in what digital art could be,” says Hamilton. “He captures the soul.”
For Fraser, the show marks a personal and professional milestone. With deep reverence for the Black Masking Indian community, he used his background in illustration and immersive storytelling to bring the culture to life in a way that honors the past while envisioning liberated Black futures.
“I hope visitors walk away feeling empowered,” Fraser shared. “I want them to leave with questions still echoing in their minds—about heritage, about resistance, about what’s possible.”
In the full interview below, I speak with Gia and Vince about the creative process, the power of Black institutions, and how technology is reshaping the future of art.
🎥 Watch the Full Interview
Support NOAAM’s mission to preserve and activate Black culture through monthly giving, donations, or community partnerships.
