From February 15 to May 2, MIT presented Artfinity, a new festival of the arts featuring 80 free performing and visual arts events. As part of the festival, Afrofuturism & Otherworldliness, an exhibit in Lewis Music Library, celebrated the visionary contributions of Afrofuturist artists across various genres and mediums. From the cosmic jazz of Sun Ra and the psychedelic funk of Parliament-Funkadelic and George Clinton, to the neo-soul of Erykah Badu and the sci-fi narratives of Octavia E. Butler, these artists have pushed the boundaries of creativity and imagination.

The exhibit, which traveled to different library locations and the new Edward and Joyce Linde Music Building, was accompanied by a screening of the Afrofuturistic science fiction film Space is the Place, written by Sun Ra, vinyl collections and streaming audio and video of pioneers in the genre, a display of musical instruments and technological artifacts used by artists and creators from the 1950s onward, a digital exhibit chronicling the history of Afrofuturistic music from the past 70 years; and a digital library resources guide.

The popular Books and Bites event series, highlighting new acquisitions, rare materials, ephemera, zines, and artists’ books in the Libraries’ collections, returned as part of Artfinity in March. “Exploring Technovernacular Creativity,” held in Rotch Library, featured selections from Distinctive Collections highlighting marginalized communities’ contributions to art, science, and technology.

“Artfinity was envisioned as a testament to MIT’s dedication to creativity, community, and the dynamic intersection of art, science, and technology—values that are deeply embedded in our diverse library collections and programs,” said Alexia Hudson- Ward, Associate Director for Research, Learning, and Strategic Partnerships. “We were honored to contribute to this crosscampus collaboration and to showcase creativity within the Libraries.”