Standing at the Crossroads of Technology and Fine Art
Verneda Lights, CEO of E-graphX Omnimedia in Port Royal, SC, stands at the crossroads of technology and fine art. A retired physician, science writer, techspressionist, and griot of the Gullahgeechee Nation, Lights weaves a multifaceted tapestry spanning digital and traditional art, photography, and surface pattern design. Her focus on Afrosurreal, Afro-futuristic, and Post-Gullah-Art styles signifies a blend of tradition and avant-garde exploration.
In “Caterpillar Dreams,” a collaborative project with ChatGPT and Night Café’s AI platforms, Lights delves into the transformative power of the Overview Effect, kairos time, and Jungian synchronicity, through poetry and digital paintings. This narrative transcends mediums, aiming to inspire positive change and reshape perspectives on the world. In this fable, a lowly caterpillar secretly overhears a telepathic conversation between a young Black girl and a butterfly. Inspired by qualities of both their lives, the caterpillar chooses to change its destiny, and evolves into a hybrid being that has qualities of both the girl and the butterfly. The reader if left to ponder what it’s final appearance will be.
Experienced in Traditional and Fine Art
Experienced in digital and traditional fine art, Lights has recently embraced collaboration with artificial intelligence art platforms, as an extension of her Afrofuturistic/ Afrosurreal visual dialogue. Over the past seven years, her work has graced renowned venues such as the Whitney Biennial, Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art, and the Edward M Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate, showcasing her global impact. A Bryn Mawr College graduate with degrees from the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine and Strayer University, Lights holds a certificate in International Arts Management from the collaborative program by NYU’s Steinhardt School, Deusto University Business School, and the Guggenheim Museum (Bilbao). Featured in National Geographic and other publications, Lights exemplifies the fusion of tradition and innovation in the contemporary art landscape.
“Caterpillar Dreams” was first formally presented at Yale’s 2023 Ultraspace Symposium, held at their Center for Collaborative Arts and Media, in April 2023. The completed work will be published along with the works of other Ultra Space Symposium presenters, in 2024. Stay tuned for when the 3D exhibit goes live at Cyberiana, a new collective formed by techspressionist artists, in early 2024.
