From drawing to sculpting, to photography, video, animation and 3D printing, McArthur Freeman’s artwork explores the Black diaspora. His diverse methods inspire students to pursue careers in the fine arts and entertainment fields.
Using traditional art methods with cutting-edge technology, the associate professor of animation and digital modeling visually explores alternate realities and Black representation. His work draws from fairy tales and science fiction to critically engage real-life events. In his latest work, Imagine Blackness: Alternate Realities and Collective Dreaming, Freeman collaborates with his wife and USF Associate Professor Elizabeth Horge-Freeman to create evocative AI-generated images that imagine new possibilities. The collaborative project is also a thought experiment where “what if” questions are pursued without constraints, such as “if we developed communities in space, what would our encounters in space be like?”
“We were intentional about highlighting racial features that have been historically devalued,” Freeman said in a recent artist talk hosted by Creative Pinellas.
This feature is part of USF's series of stories that celebrate the work and accomplishments of its community members throughout Black Heritage Month. A list of university events can be found here.
