Inspiration
Wage Love: Ancestor Dance was inspired by Sultan Sharrief’s ongoing Wage Love project and his exploration of personal lineage through DNA research. The ancestor figures are based on real individuals from Sultan’s ancestry.
We used a series of AI tools to generate visual interpretations inspired by those ancestors. We transformed these portraits into stylized 3D models, then brought them to life using motion capture. The project was a deeply collaborative effort that combined cultural research, creative technology, and immersive storytelling to create a ritual experience that is both personal and shared.
Process
The creation of Wage Love: Ancestor Dance began with historical and genealogical research from Sultan Sharrief, whose personal ancestry inspired the foundation of the experience. We started by developing a storyboard to map out the narrative arc, user flow, and core interactions—establishing how participants would move through the ritual space, summon ancestors, and contribute to the final transformation.
To ground the experience visually and emotionally, we created art direction documents that defined the look, feel, color palette, and material inspiration—blending ancestral textures with Afrofuturist and speculative design references.
From there, we built a prototype to establish the core mechanics: voice activation, gesture recognition, and basic choreography. Once the prototype was functional, we integrated final 3D assets, materials, VFX, and audio to bring the space to life—layering emotion, memory, and movement into a cohesive, immersive ritual.
Visual Design
Rooted in Memory, Reaching Toward The Future
We root our visuals in the past through organic textures and hand-drawn, 2D renderings that evoke ancestral memory. In contrast, we explore the future with glowing synthetics, geometric forms, and innovative effects—bridging tradition and transformation in a single visual language.
The art direction blends Afrofuturism, collage aesthetics, and ritual symbolism.
- Color palette transitions from warm earth tones to cool, glowing hues as transformation unfolds
- Textures mix organic and synthetic materials, symbolizing the link between heritage and futurism
- Ancestors' designs evolve throughout the experience, culminating in a fusion costume that embodies collective memory
- UI is positioned for 360° readability, ensuring accessibility from any viewing angle within the immersive space
Interaction Design
The experience is built around intuitive and meaningful interactions:
- Users say “Rise” using voice (ASR) to summon ancestors
- 3D hand tracking allows for collecting floating gifts of wisdom
- A final earth-connecting gesture activates the fusion ritual
- Participants’ hands begin to emit flower particles, visualizing personal impact in the shared space
- Designed to be experienced solo or with others via Connected Lenses
