Why XX: The Patternmaster | An Afrofuturist Community Ritual
XX: The Patternmaster is on view at King Street Station March - May 2026
RSVP for May 7th closing performances at King Street Station featuring Akoiya Harris & Garfield Hillson
In the language of tarot, there are archetypes that name who we have been—and those that dare to name who we are becoming. XX: The Patternmaster, an afrofuturist community ritural using The Deck of N0NE, lives in that threshold.
It is not simply an exhibition. It is a portal.
The Archetype: Exploring the Patternmaster
At the heart of this work is The Patternmaster, an archetype inspired by Patternmaster by Octavia Butler—a story of a network of psychics, where the Patternmaster is the most evolved, the most attuned, the connective force.
In The Deck of N0NE, this archetype carries a call:
“…to walk in our full evolution”. - The Book of N0NE
To become The Patternmaster is to step into a spiritual rebirth—to recognize that your individual path is not separate from the collective, but deeply entangled with it. As you live fully in your purpose, you begin to feel the pulse of something larger: a shared becoming, a communal awakening.
This archetype asks:
What does it mean to evolve—not alone—but together?
The Exhibition as Portal
XX: The Patternmaster is an immersive Afrofuturist installation rooted in that very question.
Created as a space for Black queer and trans communities—and all queer and trans people of color—the exhibition intervenes in a painful truth: too many of us have been denied the ability to imagine ourselves aging, thriving, and existing in the future.
This exhibition insists otherwise.
It offers a living, breathing vision where we:
survive beyond expectation
create beyond limitation
lead beyond imagination
Here, futurism is not abstract. It is embodied. It is personal. It is necessary.
The Deck, The Book, The Dreaming
The exhibition features large-scale prints from The Deck of N0NE—each image layered with Black cultural symbolism and speculative, sci-fi aesthetics. But these are not static works.
Each piece is an invitation.
Through QR-coded prompts inspired by The Book of N0NE, visitors are asked to:
write
reflect
imagine
remember
These interactions transform the viewer into a participant. The gallery becomes not just a place of observation, but a site of co-creation.
Because dreaming, in this space, is an act of resistance.
The Collective Dreaming Wall
At the center of the exhibition is the Collective Dreaming Wall—an evolving installation where visitors leave behind their visions of the future.
It is part altar, part archive, part prophecy.
Each note, sketch, and reflection becomes part of a growing tapestry—a living record of Black and queer futures that refuse erasure. These dreams extend beyond the gallery, continuing online as part of The Deck of N0NE’s evolving archive.
Afrofuturism and the Tension of Technology
Afrofuturism, as held in this space, is both aesthetic and inquiry—a universe where Black imagination and technological possibility converge. The images for The Deck of N0NE were created using AI. This modality enabled me, a writer, to truly craft visions of archetypes for community inspiration. It helped me create a fully actualized divination tool.
We are dreaming futures while living inside rapid technological change. Artificial intelligence now shapes how we write, create, and even imagine. It raises urgent questions about:
authorship
ownership
creativity
survival of artistic voice
XX: The Patternmaster engages this tension directly.
AI as part of the artistic process—transforming written visions into visual forms asks:
Can our dreams survive the tools we use to create them?
Rather than offering answers, the exhibition holds this question open—using AI as both medium and metaphor. A window into possibility. A mirror reflecting uncertainty.
A Living Ecosystem of Black Creation
This exhibition is not created in isolation. It is held by community.
Black creators who shaped this space include:
Natasha Green, Beauty Artist, Onyx Nail Studio
DJ Summersoft, Musical Curator, Conjure Magic Soundscape
Sankofa Boutique, Altar Items
Akoiya Harris, Dance Artist, Performance May 7
Garfield Hillson, Literary Artist, Performance May 7
Their contributions deepen the sensory and ritual experience—reminding us that world-building is always collaborative.
We Still Dream a Future
At its core, XX: The Patternmaster is a declaration:
Black queer people exist in the future.
Not just as survivors—but as visionaries, leaders, lovers, and architects of new worlds.
In worlds with three moons.
In realities where we are hybrid beings and intergalactic travelers.
In universes where our beauty, complexity, and power are limitless.
This exhibition asks you to step into that knowing.
To see yourself not just as you are—but as you are becoming.
To claim your place in the pattern.
