Assembly - PATOIS 2025

Assembly (Rashaad Newsome, Johnny Symons, 2025) - Assembly follows internationally acclaimed artist Rashaad Newsome as he embarks on his most ambitious project yet a multimedia exhibition and performance at New Yorks historic Park Avenue Armory. Once a bastion of white military power, the Armory is transformed into a vibrant celebration of Black and queer culture through video projections, holograms, sculptures, collages, music, dance, and African fractal patterns. This reimagining challenges colonial power structures while honoring the complexity and resilience of Black experience. Through innovative hybrid storytelling, breathtaking visual effects, and the ongoing presence of ancestors, Assembly transcends traditional documentary as it weaves together Rashaads creative process, dynamic performances, and the lives of his collaborators. Powerful moments, such as a memorial for murdered Black trans women that evolves into a protest march, highlight arts capacity to reclaim agency and inspire change, offering a vision of intergenerational resilience, transformation, and hope. 98 min. 

Post-screening discussion with filmmakers Rashaad Newsome \& Johnny Symons.