Rhymezlikedimez Presents Animated Short 'Ride or Die' During SCOPE Miami Showcase
Go behind the scenes of the artist’s installation which incorporates Amazon Echo Frames with Alexa.
The SCOPE Art Show in Miami Beach wrapped its 23rd annual show on December 8. Hypeart held its first-ever showcase at SCOPE during the height of Miami Art Week. The lineup included an installation by Amazon Echo in partnership with interdisciplinary artist Robin Velghe, known by the pseudonym Rhymezlikedimez. Hypebeast’s Creative Director, Paul Heavener, takes us through a day at the renowned art show and behind the scenes of the Rhymezlikedimez x Amazon Echo showcase.
Those unfamiliar with Velghe’s work need only look to the nearest rainbow. Brimming with vibrant, kaleidoscopic hues, bubbly, cartoon-esque characters and boisterous personalities, the Belgium animator personifies sunshine. Collaborations with Stone Throws, Adult Swim, Erykah Badu and Travis Scott have solidified the artist’s knack for vibrant world-building and a culturally fluent animation style paralleling the contemporary rap landscape.
“The eyes are the window to the soul,” goes a line from N.E.R.D.’s funkadelic “Windows,” from the band’s third studio album, Seeing Sounds (2008). Thus goes the tempo for Velghe’s SCOPE Miami show, a musical pilgrimage through today’s most prominent rap, R&B and soul luminaries through the eyes of Puff. The soft matter entity is Velghe’s main protagonist, a devoted lover of hip-hop and an extension of the artist’s personality and alter ego, Rhymezlikedimez.
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Rhymezlikedimez’s showcase lived amongst a selection of artists curated by Hypeart, including Stickymonger, UFO907 and KATSU. A sculpture entitled Fly Or Die (another nod to N.E.R.D.), located in the center of the booth display, depicts Puff outfitted in a pink button-up and brown shorts. Struck by Cupid’s bow, he’s gently lifted off the ground, inebriated by love’s rush. A companion piece to the animated short Ride or Die, it follows Puff taking a scenic route down Mulholland Drive when he’s coincidentally lovestruck by a certain cloud-like lady.
Guests were instructed to equip Amazon Echo Frames with Alexa or Carrera Smart Glasses and enter a private viewing space to view the animation. Rhymezlikedimez fashioned Puff’s inner world with textured rugs and carpets customized with airbrushed graphics. Inside, a mirror fastened to the top of the installation encouraged guests to capture moments wearing the Amazon Echo frames. Puff’s Miami Playlist, including tracks by Anderson .Paak, Stereolab, Janet Jackson and more, brought a vivid storyline to life and showcased the seamless utility of Amazon’s tech-infused eyewear. Integrated with Alexa’s full suite of capabilities, wearers can listen to audio, take calls and command Alexa in a sleek, fashion-forward format.
Dive into Rhymezlikedimez’s SCOPE Miami installation in the galleries and video above. To learn more about the smart glasses featured in the showcase, visit Amazon’s website.
