Aaron Turner will be examining the monolithic historical narrative within Art History, and its recognition bias of notable black artists until later in their careers or death. Through the canon of Afrofuturism, digital culture, and artificial intelligence, Turner plans to incorporate the use of virtual reality into his series Black Alchemy, to create immersive speculative spaces for the viewer to actively be immersed within them and not restricted to an observational 2-D experience. He will address existing software biases and ethical standards within artificial technology, such as, facial recognition bias within software from major developers like IBM.  Such software programs have difficulty assessing darker skin hues and female features. The goal for this project will be to create a series of screen and wall-based projections in tandem with VR, AR, and mixed reality headset experiences, as well as new 2D photographs.

Aaron Turner is an Arkansas based artist and educator. He uses photography to pursue personal stories of family and resilience, but also uses the view camera to create still life studies on the topics of race, history, blackness as material, and the role of the black artist.

Funds for this residency came from the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature; the Max and Marian Farash Foundation; and Joy of Giving Something.