My time at MSU was eye-opening, filled with warm introductions to professors and artists. I met Professor Peter Glendinning from the Kresge Art Center, whose expertise in photography was inspiring; Professor Susan Wyche, who specializes in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI); and Mr Vadu Rodrigues, a Master of Fine Arts candidate, from whom I learned how his personal influences shaped his narrative and storytelling in photography. I also met many other colleagues, learning from their diverse experiences and creative processes.
These key encounters with experts and practitioners across different artistic disciplines opened doors for me to continue exploring, collaborating, and discovering new opportunities as a multidisciplinary creative artist passionate about the intersection of data, technology, and human-centered storytelling.
One of the most memorable encounters was with Professor Peter Glendinning and his body of work Attached to the Soil, a brilliant photographic project consisting of fifty portraits, oral history-based stories, and metaphoric representations of South African youth. He shared fascinating insights into his process, including an old, rare tool he once used to achieve a stroboscopic effect before the era of advanced cameras and editing software. What stood out most to me was that each photograph’s story was told from the perspective of the subject themselves, a powerful approach to narrative photography.
Another remarkable interaction was with Mr. Vadu Rodrigues and his artistic initiative Positive Africa, which seeks to challenge negative and biased narratives about Africa through photography and other art forms. Spending time with him in his studio was deeply insightful. I admired his practice of carrying a small notebook to document daily experiences and visual ideas that later influence his creative work. Observing his process from conceptualization to a finished art piece was a masterclass in intentional storytelling.
The culmination of this experience profoundly influenced my growth as a creative technologist and multidisciplinary artist. It also opened new doors for collaboration, one of which came through the MSU Museum CoLab Studio. I learned about a call for artists to create a piece exploring AI singularity in all its forms. Having subscribed to the studio’s newsletter, I received the announcement and decided to apply with a concept for a Virtual Reality immersive experience: a VR tribunal where sentient AIs bring cases against humans. Participants take the role of the defendant, while a generative AI judge, UbuntuBot, presides, modelled on African communal justice systems. The project merges storytelling, ethics, and digital futures.
As the old proverb goes, “Luck is when opportunity meets preparedness.” Fortunately, I was selected as one of the artists to collaborate with the MSU CoLab Studio, supported by a seed grant to bring this piece to life and exhibit it at the MSU Museum.
While the journey has only just begun with MSU Art Community, the experience with the Invision Africa Photography Competition and the exposure and connections made within MSU’s artistic community have left a lasting and transformative impact. It will continue to shape my creative path and remain a defining part of my artistic journey.
