What is Transcendent Femme?
About the Exhibit
The exhibit follows the story of a creative named "Transcendent Femme" on her quest towards self discovery through the enchanted forest of "Transcendence", a spirit of change and evolution that has called upon the main character. Throughout the month participants are invited to explore the same forest as our main character with hopes of discovering new pathways of understanding the self through interactive rooms in the exhibit. In addition to the offers of the exhibit there will be 20 different workshops and events focusing on mind, body, spirit connection, facilitated all by amazing local practitioners, such as Ashley Cornelious from Poetry 719, Dee Smith from OneBody Ent, Jennaya Colons from Highroots Wellness and more. This exhibit isn't only a transformative arts experience, but one that's roots are deeply entrenched within the COS community it was birthed out of. Witness Colorado Springs at its finest at "Transcendent Femme" Grand Opening this October 3rd from 4 to 8pm at the Meanwhile Block.
What is Transcendent Femme doing?
Why This? Why Now?
This exhibit is deeply rooted in both the Black American and women experience, but its message extends to our collective community health. Transcendent Femme is for everyone. True connection and understanding come not only from seeing yourself in art but also from witnessing the perspectives of others. No matter your background, this space invites you to engage, reflect, and challenge yourself through the eyes of those whose experiences may differ from your own.What if art could be more than a passive experience—what if it could be a threshold? A space where creativity, mental well-being, and cultural identity converge, not as separate ideas, but as a living, breathing ecosystem?
Arts-based mental health interventions exist, but rarely do they center Black experiences. Transcendent Femme challenges this absence, asking:
.𖥔 ݁ ˖ How can arts interventions succeed when they are not rooted
in the communities they aim to serve?
.𖥔 ݁ ˖ What does culturally responsive access to the arts look like?
.𖥔 ݁ ˖ How can creativity be a tool for self-exploration and meaning-making?
Guided by Kai Gaynor, a multidisciplinary artist and community builder, the installation invites visitors to step into a world of large-scale paintings, tactile environments, and interactive workshops—all designed to lower barriers to participation and encourage deeper introspection. Over four weeks, 20 workshops led by Black artists, mental health practitioners, and cultural workers will turn the space into a site of conversation, connection, and transformation.
A Space for Everyone—Free and Open to the Public