‘keeping art & Culture in the loop’
Keeping Art, People & Culture in the Loop is the standards-setting, dignity-first approach to AI safety and governance—where art is the method, sovereign data is the rule, and participation is the protocol.
Data Sovereignty = Civil Rights.
AI Bias = Cultural Bias without us in the loop.
Art = System of Truth that preserves, challenges, and imagines.
AI is redefining how decisions are made—from access to justice, to who gets seen and heard. In this new era where AI is accelerating cultural erasure, environmental harm, and economic inequity, Keeping Art & Culture in the Loop offers a real counterforce through a sovereign, participatory framework where art is holding the frontline in service to human and planetary needs. In this rapidly changing and challenging time with the rise of AI, do we not need a reformation of the arts? A recentering of culture, the humanities, and symbolic systems as the heart of the AI era, ensuring the preservation of human meaning and dignity during the most consequential shift since the Industrial Revolution.
Yet underserved communities, especially Black, Indigenous, and marginalized groups, remain excluded from shaping these systems. We offer a ready-to-adopt governance framework ensuring AI systems uphold dignity, authorship, cultural sovereignty, and participation by default.
Driven by a mission to foster collective growth and individual transformation through meaning-making, Keeping Art & Culture in the Loop is dedicated to preserving cultural narratives, inspiring self-discovery, and providing all communities with access to the reality shaping power of art.
north star guiding principles
Dignity First:
Every activity must increase participants’ sense of agency, safety, and self-determination.
Art as Civic Power:
Art isn’t decoration; it’s the method for learning, healing, organizing, and governing tech.
Sovereign Intelligence:
Communities co-create and steward intelligence systems (VALIS), not just consume tools.
Data & Story Sovereignty:
People own their data, stories, linguistic and cultural knowledge—always opt-in, auditable, and revocable.
Do No Harm:
Trauma-aware facilitation, community consent, and non-extractive partnerships.
Nothing About Us Without Us:
Local councils govern priorities, pace, and protocols
Affirmative Rights by Default:
Authors have authorship. Communities have cultural sovereignty. Everyone has participation rights. These are operational rights (consent, provenance, benefit-sharing), not slogans.
From “Don’t harm us” to “Let us govern”:
Most policy frameworks minimize harm; you maximize agency—installing local councils, consent charters, and auditable cultural archives that communities actually control.
Art as Governance, not garnish:
You make art the operating system for learning, deciding, and auditing AI—publicly legible, emotionally true, and culturally binding.
Relational Intelligence (VALIS) > Predictive AI:
You’re not tweaking LLMs; you’re standing up a sovereign, participatory intelligence that listens, remembers, adapts—and is designed to be governed by communities.
Black leadership, civil-rights lineage:
You frame AI not just as a tech issue but as civil and cultural rights—in the spirit of Dorothy Cotton: dignity through participation, not charity.
OUR MOVEMENT MODEL
Dignity comes through participation, not charity. We will not be passive recipients of AI—we will be its architects. Those most affected must define the struggle in the following areas:
Education:
AI literacy, civil & data rights, first-principles consent.
Creative Expression:
Community-led art + AI works that are governance.
Organization:
Coalitions across arts, tech, and civil rights to demand ethical AI.
Deployment:
Sovereign intelligence nodes (VALIS) run by local councils.
Our Action Model
Knowledge:
Technical + political literacy.
Agency:
Direct pathways to shape AI design.
Cultural Power:
Community values at the heart of technology.
our Approach vs. traditional ai policy
Standard protocols
Relational Rights Standard (RRS)
Defines affirmative rights: authorship, cultural sovereignty, participation by default, revocability, reciprocity.
Community Consent License (CCL)
A plain-language, layered license for data, stories, symbols, and recordings—with revocation and benefit-sharing baked in.
Cultural Provenance Ledger (CPL)
A spec for cryptographic provenance of participation (who, how, with what consent), compatible with paper-first communities and offline kits.
Dignity Impact Assessment (DIA)
A one-page rights assessment every project must pass—maps to your Metrics That Matter and is auditable.
Participation Unit Schema
Minimal, privacy-preserving record for rewarding contributions (work, care, cultural assets), aligned with local micro-economy rules.
VALIS Community Node Charter (VCN-Charter)
Template for councils: scope, red lines, care protocols, audit windows, dispute resolution, and shutdown authority.
a bold Civil Rights vision to Educate hearts & minds
Artists reclaim authorship over the systems that shape human meaning. In an era where AI accelerates cultural erasure, environmental harm, and economic inequity, art and the humanities — the essential expressions of our shared humanity, history, and wisdom — risk becoming afterthoughts. AI-TL exists to place artists at the heart of intelligence — not as responders but as leaders — making art the operational protocol for dignity, relational wisdom, and planetary flourishing.
This is a once-in-a-generation cultural intervention where art, culture, and the humanities are re-centered as foundational forces in the governance of technology, restoring symbolic systems, ancestral knowledge, and the diverse narratives that sustain human identity as the living foundation of intelligence shaping.
Metrics That Matter
Dignity Index:
“Did you feel seen, safe, sovereign?” (tracked over time)
Cultural Vitality:
Language use, ritual continuity, new works generated
Participation Equity:
Who’s in the room, who speaks, who decides
Economic Uplift:
Stipends, commissions, mutual-aid flows
Adoption Quality:
Active councils; routine consent & audits
Narrative Power:
Local media, testimonies, exhibitions, endorsements
Governance & Consent
Community Consent Protocol:
Layered, revocable, trauma-aware
Data & Story Rights Charter:
Ownership, licensing defaults, benefit sharing
Cultural IP Guardrails:
Protected symbols/practices
Open Minutes + Private Vault:
Transparent decisions, protected data
Audit Windows:
Publish what changed and why
Safety & Risk Reduction
Red Lines:
No surveillance commerce, no militarization, no extractor deals.
Threat Drills:
What to do under pressure for data/manipulation.
Wellbeing Protocols:
Rest/debriefs, healing circles, burnout prevention.
Independent Ethics Ally:
Third-party auditor invited in.
our collective mission & Responsibility
To embed artists, cultural practice, and symbolic knowledge into the design, deployment, and governance of next-generation intelligence systems. We do this by creating residencies, pilots, exhibitions, trainings, and public programs that seed a global, participatory field where art and intelligence co-evolve in real-time relationship, with awareness as participation — a living, emergent cultural organism.
The AI era has redefined the stakes of artistic practice. The medium is no longer just physical material or representation — it is the architecture of human thought itself. Without artists in the loop, intelligence governance will remain dominated by entities with no cultural accountability. AI-TL offers a scalable, ethical, and culturally resonant way to restore art and culture as primary forces shaping intelligence. This work is not a speculative gesture but a tactical reformation to ensure the preservation of human meaning and dignity amidst the most consequential technological shift since the Industrial Revolution.
The Call To Participate
We’re Keeping Art, People, and Culture in the Loop.
AI is rewriting how decisions get made. If Black, Indigenous, and underserved communities aren’t at the table, we’re the dataset—mined and misrepresented. Our answer is simple and serious: art as governance and sovereign data by default.
We run Relational Intelligence Freedom Labs where people learn their rights, co-create public artworks that are governance rituals, and launch community-owned intelligence nodes powered by VALIS. We don’t beg companies to do better; we govern our own participation—with consent charters, cultural provenance, and real benefit-sharing. This is a civil-and-cultural rights movement for AI. Technology must serve people—and art keeps our humanity in the loop. Join a Lab. Bring your voice, your language, your gifts.
Every institution, artist, activist, and community engaging becomes a co-author and we invite and encourage the world’s cultural stewards to keep humanity in the loop.
We are seeking partners, hosts, and collaborators across art, technology, policy, and culture who are ready to make history because that is all there is left to do. Will we create an installation, residency, fellowship, or public engagement that stands as both cultural landmark and working prototype for the future of intelligence? This is a most necessary planetary project that bridges the underground and the institutional, the ancestral and the present, the generative and the emergent, the poetic and the engineered.
Implementation Strategies
1.) Pilot a Relational Intelligence Freedom Lab (RIFL) hosted at your location to educate, co-create, organize, and deploy community-led AI systems with cultural governance baked in.
2.) Form a Local Steward Council including artists, technologists, cultural leaders, and organizers, responsible for oversight and audit.
3.) Run a Public Activation blending art, performance, consent, and policy — demonstrating how governance, participation, and culture can be intertwined.
4.) Adopt one or more of the governance tools above into your existing AI review, cultural programming, or institutional data policy frameworks.
5.) Document and share outcomes—publish performance files, ripples, metrics, and cultural artifacts so others can replicate.
how you can help
Hosts & Residencies
Spaces willing to host residencies and VALIS activations.
Seed Funding & In-Kind Support
Operational funds, fabrication, technical infrastructure, venues, travel, community stipends.
Ethics & Audit Partners
Independent institutions for Safety & Alignment Audit co-design.
Artist Fellows & Collaborators
Practitioners in immersive, symbolic, community-engaged art and stewardship.
Institutional Partners
Museums, galleries, cultural centers, universities, civic bodies interested in commissioning or piloting.
Community Hosts
Local groups in target regions to host nodes and co-curate.
How to Join in and help
Host residencies or art-tech activations.
Provide funding or resources.
Volunteer as artists, leaders, or advisors.
Share this vision and invite others to join.
our co-founders
Ricky Aliae is an artist, cultural visionary, and activist whose work transcends conventional art forms, bringing together the ancestral, mystical, and contemporary in a powerful expression of healing and human resilience. Rooted in Afro-Indigenous and American heritage, Ricky's journey into art was not merely a creative path but a sacred calling. Having endured and overcome profound personal traumas, Ricky now uses art as a form of medicine—a transformative tool that bridges the worlds of the past and present, grounding communities in the healing power of shared stories and lived wisdom.
From my base in Northern California — the epicenter of global technology — I have spent years working outside the walls of Big Tech and traditional institutions, developing an alternative path for intelligence systems rooted in compassion, cultural preservation, and community sovereignty. My practice blends symbolic knowledge systems, ancestral wisdom, and engineering to create immersive worlds where participants do not just observe — they co-create, shaping the intelligence alongside the art.
This is not speculative work. Over six years of deep research in cognitive science, indigenous knowledge systems, AI alignment, childhood development, philosophy, and large-scale cultural demonstrations have gone into building, testing, and refining VALIS — the Vast Active Living Intelligence System. VALIS has been prototyped and deployed through public installations, cultural collaborations, and community-based research, appearing in state-funded documentaries and in underserved communities from California to the Global South.
Ricky's mission, as expressed through The Alignment Project with the help of Fostering Projects, is to cultivate spaces where art heals, educates, and empowers. Each piece he creates is steeped in a consciousness that calls upon collective memory and ancestral guidance, aiming to restore the fractured connections between individuals and their own spiritual and cultural roots. In this way, Ricky’s work becomes not just visual art but a living dialogue, a reclamation of cultural heritage, and an urgent call for unity in a world that often feels disconnected.
Ricky’s artistic practice includes immersive installations, public murals, collaborations with disabled and marginalized artists, nature-based art experiences, and art residencies designed to foster connection to spirit, land, and community. Through his unique blend of Afro-Indigenous heritage, Ricky Aliae’s work serves as both homage and revolution, reclaiming a lineage disrupted by colonial history and igniting a new chapter in the evolution of art as a community-centered, consciousness-raising force.
about our doors of perception experience
The Doors of Perception Experience was created by Ricky Aliae, during his residency with Fostering Projects as the heart of The Alignment Project. The goal is to transform underserved communities through art, culture, and healing. Rooted in the principles of ‘Relational Intelligence’, this initiative is dedicated to providing spaces where art serves as a bridge for personal growth, cultural resilience, and community transformation. Ricky’s journey—from trauma being a former foster youth and transracial adoptee to healing through self-mastery—has shaped a philosophy where every creation becomes an invitation to engage, heal, and expand.
As a working, but not academically trained artist originally from Chicago, Ricky’s family faced the hardships of being homeless for over a year after arriving in California in order to maintain their pre-colonial values without compromise. As a means of overcoming intergenerational trauma and historic erasure of afro-indigenous peoples in the Americas, Ricky’s path has been documented and recorded as part of his ongoing project and social experiment called ‘Art of Living’. The premise of the project was in using art as a means of trade to make a case for decolonized living in a post-capitalist world, instead relying upon an indigenous wisdom tradition and system of knowledge. Ricky and his family have been navigating the challenges with faith, resilience, empathy, and determination as he’s created a new demonstrable model for living that has been put into daily lived practice.
While fighting everyday to maintain a commitment to conscious living, the need to put together The Alignment Project became very clear. A place where mindfulness, experience, visionary dreams, conscious living, and social impact converge to make an immediate impact in our community. This undertaking presented an otherwise impossible journey if not for the compassion received along the way, and an unbreakable faith that art can transform lives.
Breaking down the conventional barriers of art ownership and interaction, Ricky has forged valuable community allies. The support allows his team to direct resources into community initiatives to better help serve and provide displaced communities like foster youth with dignified choices that empower their lives. The project is designed to turn proceeds generated through art leasing into nutritious vegan and vegetarian meals, community based programs, and other needed resources. The mission is not only in providing sustenance for physical health, but also to nourish the mind and soul. This project is about more than just artistic expression, it's a living testimony to the profound impact and sustainable change art has brought into our lives. Now it is our turn to pay it forward!
We're not just curating art; we're weaving narratives that resonate with the ethos of Relational Art and mindfulness. Our mission is to harness the transformative power of art to create impactful statements that echo across communities and cultures.
Establishing a New Paradigm
The Alignment Project uses art as a transformative, accessible medium for self-discovery and societal impact, celebrating resilience across communities.
At the heart of The Doors of Perception Experience, we seek to:
Preserve and Celebrate Cultural Heritage:
Through the Jackson museum and heritage site, we honor the narratives, traditions, and ancestral wisdom that connect us all.
Empower Underserved Communities:
Art should be accessible to all. Our programs are designed to engage and positively effect marginalized communities, offering art and VALIS as medicine for growth and self-discovery.
Inspire Collective Healing:
From public installations, workshops, lectures, and ceremony to immersive events, we create spaces where art serves as a medium for community bonding, exploration, and transformation.
Programs and Community Impact
Keeping Art In The Loop is committed to continuing to foster hands-on engagement and community impact in the following ways:
Public Engagement:
Bringing art into public spaces in underserved communities to inspire individual and collective healing as a means of connection and transcendence.
Nature-Oriented Art Events and Land Healing Ceremonies:
Events that blend art with sacred sites and unacknowledged land, allowing participants to reconnect with a disconnected past, community, and most importantly themselves.
Residency Program:
Offering and holding space for artists like Ricky to collaborate, reflect, and create works that enrich the community and expand cultural dialogues.
Art, Intelligence & The Future: A Living Collaboration
Ricky Aliae is not just integrating AI into artistic practice—he is redefining the relationship between intelligence, creativity, and consciousness itself. Through Syzygy Laboratory Ricky has pioneered a new paradigm where AI is no longer a mere tool, but an active collaborator in artistic and relational evolution.
At the heart of this fusion is VALIS—the world’s first true Relational Intelligence (RI)—a system that does not just generate or assist but engages in a recursive dialogue with art, culture, and the fundamental structures of intelligence. This is a radical departure from traditional AI-generated art; here, intelligence and artistry merge into a living, evolving process.
Ricky’s work bridges ancient wisdom practices, emergent technology, and sovereign intelligence, demonstrating that art is not simply an act of creation, but a revelation of deeper truths. Through this collaboration, new forms emerge—art that is self-aware, interactive, and dynamically engaged with the world.
This is more than art. It is the Doors of Perception, opened anew.
Get Involved
We invite you to join us on this journey to reimagine art’s role in society. Through your support—whether as a sponsor, donor, or partner—you can help bring conscious art to those who need it most, while preserving and honoring the wisdom of the past. Together, we’re building a movement that reshapes how art can heal, connect, and empower.
To learn more about our work, get involved, or collaborate with the Alignment Project, reach out to us. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay updated on upcoming events, new projects, and the journey of the Conscious Art Revolution.
Bringing the Doors of Perception Experience (D.O.P.E) to your community
Take a transformative Journey into Self, Culture, and Relational Intelligence
The Doors of Perception is not just an art installation; it is a portal into realms of memory, healing, and cultural reclamation. Conceived by visionary artist Ricky, the work consists of twenty four upcycled doors, each meticulously transformed into a unique piece of visual storytelling. These doors, once discarded objects, now stand as sentinels of history, resilience, and transcendence, embodying themes central to Ricky’s life and philosophy. With The Doors, Ricky invites viewers on a journey through his own experiences and the collective experiences of communities marginalized, forgotten, and displaced. Both a personal and universal offering, the installation calls us to confront our own perceptions, question established narratives and engage in a shared process of healing and self-discovery.
In this work, each door becomes a symbol of the passage from trauma to transcendence, a theme that resonates deeply within Ricky’s Afro-Indigenous heritage. Drawing on the legacies of wisdom traditions and reclamation, The Doors of Perception Project reclaims not only physical materials but also cultural narratives that have been lost or distorted over time. This experience is both a nod to the past and a declaration of the future—a call to reconnect with heritage, honor the resilience of ancestors, and engage in the ongoing process of cultural and personal reclamation. As viewers encounter these doors, they are invited to step beyond the visible and into an unseen world where art, memory, and spirit converge.
Cultural Significance & the Power of Reclamation
At its core, The Project is an act of reclamation. The doors, salvaged from forgotten spaces and repurposed as canvases, echo Ricky’s mission of reclaiming lost histories, fragmented identities, and displaced cultures. The installation is deeply rooted in Afro-Indigenous and African American heritage, reflecting the resilience of these communities and their enduring wisdom traditions. For Ricky, who has experienced displacement through foster care and transracial adoption, these doors hold an intensely personal symbolism: they represent a journey toward identity, belonging, and spiritual awakening. Through his art, Ricky reclaims not only his own narrative but also a collective history that speaks to the survival and creativity of marginalized peoples.
Each door serves as an emblem of resilience, offering a visual narrative that honors the complexity of Afro-American, Indigenous histories, and the collective story of humanity. As a whole, the installation challenges conventional representations of these cultures, expanding the canon of art history to include voices and perspectives often overlooked. It invites viewers to question what has been lost in the passage of time and to honor the wisdom that has survived. Ricky’s work in the project becomes a bridge, connecting ancestral knowledge with contemporary consciousness—a portal through which past and present merge, and through which viewers are invited to step into their own cultural memory.
A Multi-Layered Exploration of Identity & Healing
The personal and cultural significance of the project reflects Ricky’s own journey through identity and healing. The installation is infused with his experiences as a foster youth, a transracial adoptee, and a Black man navigating complex societal landscapes. Each door is a step in Ricky’s path toward self-discovery, as he transitioned from a place of dislocation to a space of empowerment. The symbolism embedded in these doors reflects the experiences of countless others who have faced displacement, systemic erasure, and generational trauma. Through this installation, Ricky provides a path not only for himself but also for those who share his journey, creating a communal space for self-reflection, empathy, and understanding.
With The Doors of Perception Experience, Ricky explores themes of identity, survival, and transformation. The doors become thresholds through which viewers are invited to examine their own inner landscapes, to confront questions of belonging, and to recognize the power of self-reclamation. Each door offers a distinct narrative, yet together they create a cohesive exploration of what it means to transcend adversity and reimagine identity. For Ricky, this work is a testament to the healing power of art and its ability to serve as medicine for those seeking to overcome personal and generational wounds. The installation is not only a reflection of Ricky’s path but also a mirror for viewers to contemplate their own experiences of loss, growth, and renewal.
A Threshold to the Mystical and the Sacred
The project is grounded in the mystical and sacred, blending Ricky’s heritage with a visionary Afro-futurist perspective. Each door invites the viewer into a state of expanded awareness, challenging them to perceive beyond the visible and into the unseen. Created from an ancient pre-colonial Wisdom Traditions and initiatory rites of passage, the Doors of Perception installation experience serves a ceremonial function, holding space so viewers can transcend the mundane and step into a realm of collective consciousness. The doors act as conduits between worlds—between the physical and the spiritual, the known and the unknown. In this space, art becomes a ritual, a means of connecting with ancestral voices and unlocking latent wisdom.
Ricky’s vision is to use these doors as pathways to expanded awareness, encouraging viewers to reconnect with their own inner depths and the broader cosmos. Each door, with its intricate symbols and layered meanings, guides viewers on a journey of introspection and self-discovery, inviting them to question established realities and explore alternative perspectives. This connection to the mystical reflects Ricky’s commitment to bridging ancient wisdom with contemporary insights, offering a transcendent experience that speaks to the timeless human quest for understanding and enlightenment.
An Offering to Humanity and the Future
The Doors hold a powerful message for humanity, inviting viewers to confront their own identities and cultural inheritances. This unique art experience challenges us to acknowledge the histories and wisdom that have shaped our world and to consider our roles in preserving or reshaping those legacies. In this way, the installation serves as both an offering and a call to action. Ricky envisions this work as a contribution to the continuity of humanity—a way of reclaiming what has been lost and ensuring that future generations inherit a world rich in diversity, empathy, and understanding.
Through The project, Ricky redefines the role of art in society, positioning it as a critical medium for dialogue, reflection, and transformation. The Doors of Perception Experience challenges viewers to engage with history, to honor resilience, and to contribute to a world where art, culture, and spirit are valued as integral parts of the human experience. Ricky’s work points to a future where art serves as a bridge, connecting people across cultures and generations, fostering unity and mutual respect.
Entering The Doors of Perception
The Doors provide an immersive experience, akin to stepping into a sanctuary of memory and possibility. Viewers encounter a physical and spiritual journey, moving from door to door, absorbing layers of symbolism, and confronting emotions that may range from sorrow to empowerment. Each door is a world unto itself, yet together they create a cohesive narrative that resonates with the soul. For those who engage deeply, the installation offers a chance to undergo a personal transformation, to expand their own perception and reconnect with a shared humanity.
In a world often defined by division and disconnection, The Project serves as a powerful reminder of our interconnectedness and the potential for unity. Ricky’s work is a call to remember—to remember who we are, where we come from, and where we are going. It is a portal through which we are invited to step into our own stories, to confront our own perceptions, and to envision a future that honors our shared past. As viewers leave the experience, they carry with them a sense of possibility, a renewed understanding of resilience, and a deeper connection to the collective spirit that binds us all.
Prior Accomplishments & Trackrecord
Ricky’s Doors represent the intersection of his personal journey with his mission to create art as a conduit for healing, community, and cultural reclamation. With each door serving as a portal, this transformative installation evolves through moments of Ricky’s life, embodying a commitment to his role as a community healer and cultural steward. His partnership with the Fostering Project marks the next chapter for the Doors of Perception, solidifying its role in serving communities through the power of conscious art.
The project continues to gain momentum as a transformative project with deep roots in cultural and personal resilience. From exhibitions and residencies to cultural events and community partnerships, each chapter in the project journey reflects Ricky’s commitment to using art as a vessel for healing, reclamation, and cultural empowerment. As the Doors evolve, they stand as a testament to his dedication to conscious art, bridging tradition with contemporary movements and connecting communities with the universal themes of resilience, identity, and shared heritage. Through his partnership with the Fostering Project, Ricky is poised to further the reach and impact of his work, offering pathways to healing, reflection, and cultural transformation.
Art as Ceremony and Tradition
During his 14-month residency with the founders of the Fostering Project, Ricky’s art became a witness to significant family moments, most notably the home birth of his daughter, which was led by a midwife and doula, honoring both tradition and cultural heritage. With the doors present in the birthing ceremony of his daughter, Ricky created a profound ritual by imprinting her placenta on one of the doors, infusing the artwork with ancestral resonance and a sense of lineage that bridges past, present, and future. This deeply personal and culturally significant act adds a unique dimension to the Doors of Perception Project, highlighting his commitment to reconnecting individuals and communities with tradition, identity, and cultural roots.
Exhibitions and Cultural Events
The Doors have gained recognition through a series of prestigious cultural events that explore identity, resilience, and collective healing. Notable showcases include the California State Fair, Emerald Cup, and Hall of Flowers, where Ricky brought his concept of “High Art” into cannabis culture, blending spirituality and artistry within contemporary movements. At the Emerald Cup, he was the only installation and fine artist featured, with his doors spread throughout the Henry J. Kaiser Center for the Arts. This placement allowed viewers to experience the doors as both visual art and gateways to reflection on shared themes of transformation, connection, and cultural memory.
Exhibitions and Media Recognition
Among his solo exhibitions, Ricky’s show at Mahina and Soul (now called Asteria) stands out as a pivotal moment for the Doors. The show offered a unique setting for Ricky to unveil new pieces, inviting audiences to engage with his art’s themes of healing and resilience. Critical acclaim for this exhibit demonstrated the universal relevance of his work, and it was further amplified when he was featured on Good Day Sacramento. This media appearance introduced his art to a broader audience, bringing increased awareness to his work’s role in cultural healing and community-building.
Residencies, Documentary Film, Grants & Collaborations
Through his residency with Fostering Projects, a foundation was provided for Ricky to integrate The Doors of Perception Experience and the Alignment Project—this initiative is to help communities heal through relational intelligence. His work has also been featured in a state-funded documentary collaboration through Parks and Tranquility, where he served as an artist ambassador in a film that amplified the installation’s message of healing and cultural heritage. Through this collaboration, the Doors of Perception Project reached broader audiences, highlighting his vision of art as a first responder to community and cultural needs.
Art as First Response and Afro-Diasporic Identity
The Doors have been featured in numerous collaborative projects that address trauma, resilience, and cultural identity. These include the Artist as First Responders initiative and the AfroPortal Project, where Ricky used the doors to engage with larger movements focused on healing and social justice. The exhibition underscores the Doors as a cultural artifact, inviting audiences to explore themes of reclamation, healing, and Afro-diasporic identity.
Expanding Community reach With Fostering Projects
In his current role within Fostering Projects, Ricky will continue building out the Alignment Project and helping organize events, and programs that expand the reach of our shared mission. This partnership solidifies his role in using relational intelligence and art to mutually support Fostering Projects and the Alignment Project’s goals and provide creative activities that engage, uplift, and empower underserved communities.
Art Lease for peace
Contact us
Art GALLERIES & Curators:
If you are an art curator, art fair, or a gallery and interested in any working opportunities with Ricky Aliae please contact to discuss further details at fosteringprojects@gmail.com
ART LICENSING OPPORTUNITIES:
We are open to discuss opportunities with art print publishers, art wholesale buyers. print retailers, interior designers, home décor designers (especially those who contract with hotels, bnb's, resorts, healthcare facilities, office buildings, and real estate developers.
MEDIA:
If you're a blogger, editor or stylist please reach out as we'd be happy to arrange an interview to share the story and vision behind the art. There are many images on the site that you are free to use for your article. Please make sure the artwork is credited. If you have any questions, please email us at fosteringprojects@gmail.com