BLACKTOPIA

Design and execute an exhibit titled "Blacktopia: Detroit 3000," showcasing an art collection by Tylonn J. Sawyer.

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OBJECTIVES

Organize an art exhibit at the FSU Fine Art Gallery featuring pieces by Tylonn J. Sawyer. Created using Midjourney, these AI-driven works explore the concept of a Black Utopia in Detroit in the year 3000.

CLIENT

Carrie Weis (Gallery Director)

MY ROLE
In this project, I played a key role in conceptualizing the exhibit, as well as designing and developing the website.
The CONCEPT

I proposed a pixelated concept applied by incorporating squares throughout the exhibit to emphasize that the images were AI-generated, one pixel at a time.

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the exhibit wall Didactics

Tylonn shared 20 folders of AI images that he wanted us to cull, each titled after the theme he used to generate images in Midjourney. I reviewed the folders and selected the best 7. Each photo section included a didactic explaining the theme.

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The Exhibit Wall Images

Within those themes, I curated the AI images into three sizes (large, half-size, and quarter-size), showcasing the best in larger formats while using smaller sizes for the less striking ones to enhance visual impact.

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The postcard

The Blacktopia postcard, available for pick-up or mail, featured a few dynamic images from the exhibit on the front and a brief description on the back, offering visitors a tangible connection to the experience.

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posters and door vinyl

All posters are square, reinforcing the pixel theme. They include Tylonn’s background, an exhibit introduction, a schedule of the exhibit, and a detailed entry description. A transparent door vinyl was created as well.

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website

My website partner, Max, and I coded the Blacktopia website, ensuring it was responsive and compatible across platforms. https://freshmindsthinkdesign.com/blacktopia/

Animations on the Website

We added on theme animations to image montage videos for the website but had display issues with MP4 files, so we switched to Vimeo for hosting. However, this caused mobile layout disruptions due to its restrictive embed code. After troubleshooting, I refined the code to fix the layout on both mobile and desktop.


the giant cube

Our team liked the image montage videos with the pixelated animation, so they used projectors to display them on the giant cube at the center of the exhibit.

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THE EXHIBIT Event

The exhibit hosted a event featuring panelists Dr. Gogolin, an Artificial Intelligence and Information Security Specialist, who led a discussion on Blacktopia and AI-generated art. The design was also recognized with awards from the West Michigan AAF.

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West Michigan AAF: Gold ADDY 2024, Blacktopía

Ambient Media, Single Occurrence or Installation Ambient Media: Campaign, Online/Interactive: Advertising & Promotion: Campaign

West Michigan AAF: Silver ADDY 2024, Blacktopia

Cross-Platform: Integrated Campaigns: Integrated Brand Identity: Campaign

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