Continuing the year-long “Creatives of Color” program designed to celebrate BIPOC artists, WNDR Museum and The New Vanguard today announced that Chicago-based artist Shani Crowe will debut “DOME” in a dedicated space at WNDR Museum. As the next featured artist in the series, following Nikko Washington, Chelsey C. Sanders (Alex Carter) and Tubs, "DOME” is a multi-sensory experience of light, sound, and video that immerses the participant in the mind and vision of the artist. Dome invites you to reflect on the past, create in the present, and project a beautiful future."
As a life-long hair braider, Shani’s work is centered on traditional African coiffure, beauty ritual, and how African aesthetics can be re-contextualized to foster connectivity and unity among people of African descent. For this site-specific installation at WNDR Museum, Shani has curated a multi-sensory experience of light, sound and video that fully immerses the participant into the mind and vision of the artist, featuring musings from other Black creators and leaders that have inspired her to date. This piece encourages the viewer to acknowledge the importance of reflection of the past and progress of creativity.
“This sculpture concept is something I’ve wanted to create for years, I’ve just been waiting for the right place and time to bring it to life,” said artist Shani Crowe. “Now, place and time have created an opportunity at WNDR Museum for me to step out of my comfort zone and put myself out there in a new way.”
Currently based on Chicago’s South Side, Shani’s work has been featured on Saturday Night Live, in collaboration with Solange Knowles, at the Museum of Contemporary African and Diasporan Art (MoCADA), at the Broad in L.A., along with many more high-profile institutions across the U.S.
Designed to amplify the experience of the museum and to further The New Vanguard’s mission of providing resources that accelerate each artists’ craft, “Creatives of Color” was conceptualized to support and uplift Chicago’s BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) creatives. Throughout the year-long partnership, each of the four featured artists are given seven weeks to scale their platforms, build authentic and inclusive narratives and share their work, story and impact with WNDR Museum visitors through a variety of touchpoints including panel discussions, custom merchandise, special events and more.
WNDR Museum is Chicago’s premier art and technology experience. As guests travel through the space, they are taken on a multi-dimensional journey in which they serve as an extension of each creator by interacting with various installations. In addition to the latest programming, there are more than 20 installations at WNDR Chicago that awaken guests’ senses throughout WNDR’s mind-blowing experiences.
Open seven days a week, WNDR Museum was recently voted one of the top five immersive art experiences in the country by USA Today’s 2022 and 2023 Reader Polls. Located in Chicago’s West Loop, with recently opened locations in San Diego and Seattle, and an upcoming location in Boston with more to be announced, WNDR disrupts and redefines the traditional museum experience by inviting guests to fully engage with the artworks and multi-sensory installations. Tickets must be purchased in advance.
For more information, visit www.wndrmuseum.com and follow WNDR Museum on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and TikTok.
About WNDR Museum
WNDR Museum is Chicago’s original immersive art and technology experience located in the city’s West Loop neighborhood at 1130 W. Monroe St. with additional locations now open in San Diego, Seattle and soon to be Boston with more to be announced. Filled with interactive artworks by cutting edge artists, collectives, technologists, designers and makers, WNDR disrupts and redefines the traditional museum experience. As guests travel through WNDR Museum, they are taken on a multi-dimensional journey in which they serve as an extension of each creator by interacting with various installations. For more information, visit WNDRmuseum.com.