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For Vadu Rodrigues, there is no separating art from activism. Growing up in Cape Verde, an island nation off the coast of West Africa, he uses his art — and the Positive Africa creative movement he founded — to challenge negative stereotypes about the continent and its people by highlighting its history, culture, and communities.

Niloufar Fallahfar’s paintings are not confined to the canvas. As her artistic practice has evolved, her work quite literally has expanded into space through the inclusion of three-dimensional objects that become part of the narrative itself. “I started by putting canvas on top of each other to offer a different perspective and make the audience curious about the different angles of the painting,” she explained.

Walnut shells clatter against one another as robotic arms spring to life, casting shifting shadows across the gallery floor. People walk through the piece and record the unexpected spectacle. The artist behind the work is Hailey Becker, who has a Bachelor of Science degree in Metallurgical Engineering from the University of Alabama and a Master of Science in Materials Science…

As an emerging artist, Alex Vlasov isn’t afraid of artificial intelligence. While some futurists predict AI could replace human-created art and writing, Vlasov disagrees. “Photography didn’t replace paintings. Ever since the first photographs in 1826, paintings are still created,” Vlasov said. He further explained that human-created art will continue to provide opportunities for people to see connections, find themes, and experience the emotions conveyed through an artist’s work.