Samuel Aye-Gboyin synthesizes technology and culture through his interdisciplinary practice, spanning photography, video, animation, installation, and design. He is currently an Assistant Professor of Digital Illustration at Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida. Samuel earned his MFA in Art and Technology from the University of Florida, where his work explored the intersections of commerce, migration, globalization, and hybridity, with a focus on the African diaspora.
His art delves into the tangible effects of power structures and material conditions on the lives of immigrants, using the digital realm to expose and critique the ideologies that shape societal norms. Samuel’s practice is an evolving conversation between his lived experience as an immigrant and broader themes of displacement, identity, and the liminal spaces occupied by those navigating cultural hybridity.
Utilizing found objects and video, he constructs immersive environments that reflect the disorienting and often overlooked aspects of immigrant life. These virtual and physical landscapes challenge conventional paradigms and serve as portals to question identity, societal structures, and the transformative potential of technology.
Through dynamic elements like movement, color, and sound, Samuel crafts atmospheres of tension and displacement, aiming to provoke and shift viewers’ perceptions. His artistic mission is to catalyze positive change by offering alternative ways of understanding the immigrant experience and the broader social dynamics that define our world. For him, art is a space for both critique and hope—one that forges new possibilities for a more inclusive and equitable society.
Samuel also holds a master’s degree in Graphic Design from Eastern Illinois University and a bachelor’s degree in Communication Design with a concentration in Animation and Motion Graphics from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology in Ghana. His work continues to evolve as he navigates the intersection of personal narrative, technological discovery, and the pursuit of justice through art.