Travel back in time to re-discover iconic Black visionaries throughout history! Created with the folks at Black Heart, Black Luminaries tasks players to travel through time in this bespoke hidden object game, finding clues within an environment to uncover the identity of an iconic Black innovator. Black Luminaries was a single-event immersive experience commissioned by the African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey for the 2026 Juneteenth Innovation Expo.

I was responsible for the art direction and design of the game, from pitching design approaches to producing all design deliverables. Based on the visual language and storyboard I established, I lead my team through game logic and narrative throughout our closely collaborative process. Ideas were shared and refined in tandem, ensuring a cohesive and engaging game for the Juneteenth Business Expo.

I had the chance to experiment with AI generated assets, maintaining the visual fusion of high-tech and analog approaches by treating each asset with a hand-made mixed media pass and stop-motion animation. This contrasting visual language created the breathing room for in-person game immersion, while honoring the nostalgic playfulness of an “I-Spy” type of gameplay. I loved the opportunity to experiment with a refined futuristic design and am so happy with our team for creating a rewarding and super informative installation together.