Delali on Using Art to Explore Identity, Expression, and the Black Diaspora
In this episode of Odejuma, Harry chats with Delali, a multimedia artist based in Minneapolis and the founder of Del Aku Studio. Her work beautifully merges Afrofuturism with modern life to explore identity, connection, and possibility.. Delali's deep reverence for ancestry and transformation is rooted in her upbringing in a mixed-race household, where Ghanaian traditions coexisted with her American roots. This unique background sparked her lifelong exploration of identity through art.
Together, Harry and Delali discuss the liberating power of visual storytelling, the emotional layers of her creative process, and her evolution from jazz and performance to the striking Afrofuturistic collage that is featured in the Afro-Centric/Eclectic Art Exhibition. Delali speaks with clarity and grace about reclaiming cultural symbols, embracing multiplicity, and creating art that heals, confronts, and envisions new futures. This conversation is like a heartfelt journey through the experiences of the Black diaspora, exploring the deep spiritual connection in art and the empowering act of envisioning our complete selves.
Transcript
Hi, my name is Harry and welcome to Odejuma.
Speaker A:Odejuma recognizes the magic of storytelling.
Speaker A:From personal experiences to stories of adventure, from tales of resilience to finding joy in the simple things, this story seeks to inspire, entertain, and educate.
Speaker A:Because there is power in the stories of everyday people.
Speaker A:And these stories are worth telling.
Speaker A:Hey, y' all.
Speaker A:Welcome to another episode of Odejuma.
Speaker A:I'm really excited about today's episode.
Speaker A:Cause I have Delali with me.
Speaker A:Delali is a Minneapolis based multimedia artist and also the founder of the Del AKU studio.
Speaker A:So.
Speaker A:Hey, Dalali, how are you?
Speaker B:Hey.
Speaker B:I'm so excited to be here today.
Speaker B:Thank you so much for having me on your amazing podcast.
Speaker B:Really happy to talk today.
Speaker A:Yeah, I'm super, I'm super excited to talk with you about your art, which I think is beautiful.
Speaker A:Like, I think that the things that you create are so beautiful and, you know, people have to be talking about your work.
Speaker A:So I'm very excited to dive in to this conversation and also talk about the exhibition that you're a part of that's going to be showing in St.
Speaker A:Paul.
Speaker A:So I'm so excited to just, like, dive right in.
Speaker A:But before we go, before we go any further, I want to, like, know, like, take us back to the very beginning of how did you get into art?
Speaker A:What was growing up like for you?
Speaker A:And when did you realize that, you know, you just loved art space?
Speaker B:Yeah, great question.
Speaker B:So for some context, I'm from central Pennsylvania, so really, really different than right here in Minnesota.
Speaker B:But what I really realized growing up around me.
Speaker B:So I'm from a smaller kind of rural college town in Pennsylvania, so right between Philly and Pittsburgh.
Speaker B:So it's like a equidistance between the two.
Speaker B:And I grew up in a lot of farmland and also around a lot of, like, academia.
Speaker B:So it was like this interesting contrast.
Speaker B:My dad is a professor, my mom's a teacher, and I have one older sister.
Speaker B:And we were very like outdoorsy kids.
Speaker B:We were always being taught to, like, go outside and make your own games and play outside and, you know, all that kind of thing, ride your bikes.
Speaker B:So I got a lot of exposure just realizing what I liked by being outside and through exploration.
Speaker B:And my parents were very encouraging of us getting into like, the arts or following things that we really were excited about.
Speaker B:And from a young age, I was actually really obsessed with jazz.
Speaker B:And so I'd be listening to like, you know, Duke Ellington and Miles Davis and all of the greats.
Speaker B:And I got into playing jazz piano.
Speaker B:So that was Actually the first art form that I feel like I got really into and really excited by.
Speaker B:But yeah, I've been making art for my whole life.
Speaker B:All different mediums.
Speaker B:Ceramics, visual, danced for a long time.
Speaker B:I landed on the visual arts though.
Speaker B:So we are here and we've arrived.
Speaker A:It's very interesting.
Speaker A:You talk about how you've explored different forms of like, art, from the visual to the performing, but now you settle on visual.
Speaker A:And what is it about visual that has made you be like, okay, this is where I want to be right now?
Speaker B:Yeah, for me, I really like the visual arts because one, I'm just a very visual person.
Speaker B:Like, that is kind of how I learn and how I absorb information really well.
Speaker B:Although there are so many ways to learn, just visual has always been like the most influential for me and the way I feel like I can express myself the most a lot of times also it was about access too.
Speaker B:So I was in art school and then also finished a degree in communication.
Speaker B:That's kind of this long path that I took to get where I am today.
Speaker B:But visual communication and audio communication have been really crucial to shaping how I make art.
Speaker B:So that's kind of why I really like to do it, is because seeing is so universal and that's how I get really influenced as well.
Speaker A:That's pretty cool to know.
Speaker A:And I, and I was reading, you know, about your work and you talk about how growing up in a mixed race household and you know, how we had you questioning your place in the black diaspora.
Speaker A:And I know you talked about, you know, being raised by your dad a professor, your mom a teacher.
Speaker A:How has that, all of that, how has that shaped you?
Speaker A:And can you talk a little bit about that?
Speaker B:Yeah, definitely.
Speaker B:So my dad is Ghanaian and my mom is white.
Speaker B:So very mixed race household and culturally really mixed as well.
Speaker B:You know, also as a fellow immigrant, black and immigrant sometimes always are not thought of as like the same thing.
Speaker B:So that was really what was happening in my house, which is the African Ghanaian side was like ran hard and so did the white.
Speaker B:But I as like, you know, first gen was really perceived as a black person and a black woman.
Speaker B:So no one really prepped me for what that was going to be like.
Speaker B:So I was really searching throughout my entire life, I still am, for where I feel like I can tap into and where I see representation of myself in the black community.
Speaker B:So it was really kind of actually just through jazz and random pieces of artwork that I started to see more of myself.
Speaker B:And so that was actually one of the reasons I started to make art was because I.
Speaker B:I wanted to have control over a story that I felt like many didn't quite know how to like describe or tell or was misconstrued about being mixed.
Speaker B:And mine was so different.
Speaker B:So I wanted to actually like put words to it, put visuals to it.
Speaker B:So that's a little bit more about how I make art and why I do it from my background, if that makes sense.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:And I feel like there is always a lot to pull when you have like two different like experiences.
Speaker A:You actually even like, you have your.
Speaker A:Your dad has his experience as a black immigrant in America, your mom has experiences as a white, and then they have their experience as, you know, a couple and raising mixed race children who are perceived as black.
Speaker A:I feel like everything is a learning call for your family.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:And so like, what looking back at like growing up, up until where you are now, are there like any lessons you feel like you've picked up and has shaped who you are now in how you move through the world?
Speaker B:That's a.
Speaker B:Yeah, great question.
Speaker B:I feel like for me it was about realizing what felt like home and authenticity for me and something I learned and would like to probably like, tell like a younger version of myself is that what feels comfortable, what feels welcoming, what feels loving, is black is beautiful.
Speaker B:That can sound a little cliche, but there are many moments where I was told who I was more than felt who I was.
Speaker B:And there's this, you know, fracturing of identity in the.
Speaker B:In many racial spaces.
Speaker B:But I feel like it's very common in the white and black space for kids.
Speaker B:So that was kind of really hard to work through as a child and like young teen.
Speaker B:So I'd say it's not that you are black and white or white, it's just kind of like you are both and you can sit in both the worlds, but there's just a lot of love in the black spaces and white spaces.
Speaker B:But I felt really, really loved when I started to know more of who I was.
Speaker B:So I guess the last one would be like, go where home feels like for you, even if it's not necessarily in your own home.
Speaker B:Go to the places that also feel like home too.
Speaker A:You talk about how art has been a liberating force, you know, and helping you recenter your queer experience.
Speaker A:Can you talk a little bit about that and what that has been like for you?
Speaker B:Definitely for me, it was seeing other queer artists and other black artists and just other POC artists create art that made me feel really free and made me Feel challenged and expressed and seen.
Speaker B:I think a lot of what I was doing growing up was trying to fit in, you know, awkward teenagers and trying to figure out where they are in the world.
Speaker B:And it's still a process and a search, but for me, it was about seeing other people be more of who they were and giving me that permission through art to also do the same.
Speaker B:So through my artwork, I really try and focus on complex parts of my identity that feel challenging to access in other ways.
Speaker B:So a lot of it is about, like, how do I tell a story that necessarily doesn't need to be written about, but needs to be, like, gotten out, so instead of spoken, just expressed in a different medium and really just to be free.
Speaker B:But also, I'm curious about you.
Speaker B:You're in the arts.
Speaker B:You are everywhere.
Speaker B:What, what has art been like for you?
Speaker B:How do you relate to art forms?
Speaker B:And what is something that you really gravitate towards?
Speaker A:That's a very interesting question.
Speaker A:And I think that for me, with like, art, art has always been escapism from me.
Speaker A:For me, right, it's been like, oh, this is a reality that is somewhat better than my current reality.
Speaker A:And I can escape into.
Speaker A:I can go into the mind of the artist and be there and learn and look at the world through their eyes.
Speaker A:And so whether performing arts like the theater or with music, or we dance, or if it's like visual art forms, if it's a painting or a sculpture, I'm always looking to what is the artist trying to say?
Speaker A:And that has expanded my mind.
Speaker A:It has given me empathy in a ways that I never thought I would have, which is low key.
Speaker A:Why I don't really relate to abstract art.
Speaker A:No offense to folks who make abstract art.
Speaker A:I think that it's a beautiful.
Speaker A:I think abstract art is beautiful.
Speaker A:I feel like it's beautiful to look at, but like, I engage with art that I can understand a little bit easy.
Speaker A:I, I, like I said, it's a form of escapism for me.
Speaker A:And so, yeah, I think that's how I look at it.
Speaker A:And I feel like I have discovered pieces of myself through being in art spaces, which is why I really love.
Speaker B:Art spaces.
Speaker A:You know, and it's almost like I feel like I can do more.
Speaker A:I always leave, I always leave an exhibition or a play or whatever it is I'm going for, going to, leaving it, feeling a little bit much more alive and okay, I can do more.
Speaker A:I can be more, you know.
Speaker A:And so, yeah, I hope that.
Speaker B:No, that really did because I was curious to know how you relate to the arts.
Speaker B:And I feel like what I'm hearing you describe is, like, it's escapism, but also gives you, in a form, permission to live more and just express and be more of who you are.
Speaker B:That's beautiful.
Speaker B:Because, Harry, I be seeing you outside.
Speaker B:I see you at the wonderful exhibitions.
Speaker B:I feel like I'm always crossing paths with you at art events, which is lovely.
Speaker A:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker A:I think the last.
Speaker A:I think the last art event was the Giants event.
Speaker A:I think that's where.
Speaker B:Yes, that's where I see you.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:At the mia.
Speaker B:But I wanted to also answer another question that you had posed, too, which was like, what kind of, like, what in my environment made me want to, like, make art, especially around, like, Afrofuturism.
Speaker B:Because Afrofuturism is really a theme that goes throughout my artwork.
Speaker B:And it was actually also escapism as well.
Speaker B:I really liked reading as a kid and, like, listening to books and, like, audiobooks.
Speaker B:Do you remember those old, like, over the ear headphones and, like, the little walk?
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:So I was always listening to those.
Speaker B:And I was very into, like, sci fi and afrofuturistic stories.
Speaker B:So, you know, all the greats was listening to them.
Speaker B:So I realized I was like, okay, Afrofuturism is not just, like, about, you know, the future and, like, where we're gonna go, but it's, like, the actual act of, like, black people envisioning themselves and being the architects of, like, their futures and also, like, their present moments.
Speaker B:And so I thought it was really interesting that you're also talking about how art is an escape, because I really relate to that, too.
Speaker A:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker A:Talk about Afrofuturism, like, because we're already here now.
Speaker A:How is it, like, very evident in your work, like, how do you use the elements in your.
Speaker A:In your artistic practice?
Speaker B:Yeah, yeah, definitely.
Speaker B:So, like, I think that for me, a huge part of the, like, the question I'm trying to answer for myself is like, okay, so you're not this, like, fracture of identity.
Speaker B:You're like a multitude.
Speaker B:So you're complex.
Speaker B:You're.
Speaker B:You have depth.
Speaker B:What is that depth?
Speaker B:And also what is the complexity?
Speaker B:And what are some tensions I hold within myself?
Speaker B:So a lot of the times I feel like with my artwork, I use Afrofuturism to look at myself and think, okay, so you are a whole person.
Speaker B:But what have you not dared to dream about?
Speaker B:What parts of your idea, identity, have you felt like you haven't owned that can be yours?
Speaker B:Because I think afrofuturism is A taking back of power.
Speaker B:It is a process of reclamation as well.
Speaker B:So, for instance, this piece that I made for this upcoming exhibition is a self portrait.
Speaker B:And it really.
Speaker B:I used, like, cultural touch points in my family home growing up to think about the concept of masks.
Speaker B:And I'm sorry, I know we have, like, a thing we're doing, but I'm, like, excited to talk about.
Speaker A:Okay, yeah, sure, go ahead, share.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:So when we're thinking about the concepts of masks, I was fascinated by this.
Speaker B:My dad would go home to Ghana every couple of years or so and, you know, bring back different pieces and cloth.
Speaker B:And his.
Speaker B:One of his tooth cases is always just dedicated to, like, cloth.
Speaker B:My mom loved to sew it as a seamstress, so she'd be sewing us dresses and whatever it was, curtains.
Speaker B:So I was, like, always seeing these pieces of, like, my culture and identity brought into the house, but didn't quite always know how to interact with them.
Speaker B:So we had, like, masks hanging on the walls and a lot of, like, I love gold jewelry and obsessed with that, you know.
Speaker B:So, like, Ghana is one of the main places on the west coast that is a, you know, place where mining happens too.
Speaker B:So I.
Speaker B:I just was really interested in thinking about.
Speaker B:Okay, so I love the idea of masks, but also, like, what masks do.
Speaker B:I feel like I wear as a person who was mixed, who is queer to fit into different spaces, and then what of it do I want to own?
Speaker B:So, like, how can masks instead be like this thing that is meant to hide our identities?
Speaker B:What could I build a mask of my identities instead?
Speaker B:So kind of flipping the idea of what masks are.
Speaker B:So, like, for the piece I made of my self portrait, it is lots of layered photos of me in different parts of my face, but also layered in with, like, wooden.
Speaker B:A wood, a piece of a wooden mask, gold that I lifted, the patterns that I drew.
Speaker B:Like, I would see my mom's fabric that she'd sew with and.
Speaker B:Yeah, just really thinking about how I could make my own mask of my own identity.
Speaker A:That is pretty amazing.
Speaker A:And I mean, which leads us to, you know, the exhibition.
Speaker A:It's titled Afrocentric Eclectic Exploring Black Diasporic Identities.
Speaker A:So tell me about that.
Speaker A:I know you've talked about the creative process a little bit more, but can you go into, first of all, like, how you found out about the exhibition?
Speaker A:You know, just the background overview and also what you're most excited about people seeing from the exhibition.
Speaker B:Yeah, I'd be happy to shout out to Regine, the queen.
Speaker B:They are amazing artist and community organizer and arts educator here in the Twin Cities.
Speaker B:They're holding it down in St.
Speaker B:Paul, but they really wanted to create a exhibition that featured a diverse collection of black artists and black stories and narratives.
Speaker B:It's something that really drew me to apply to the show was the idea of revealing the unseen and the complexity of black identity.
Speaker B: So I started my company in: Speaker B:And I really wanted to create, like, an official place where people could know me and come to me and work with me.
Speaker B:So part of my intention for starting it too, was to create a place for black, queer, bipoc people to express themselves, painting, be supported, and also for myself, too.
Speaker B:And so in a very roundabout way, I was drawn to this because I also am really in this process of trying to reveal the unseen and the things that we think are locked in about black identity and things that we think we know about black identity, other black people think that they know are a sure thing.
Speaker B:But there's so much more and there's so much more depth.
Speaker B:And so that's why I was like, I want to be a part of this show.
Speaker B:Had.
Speaker B:I'm a new artist, I'm young, so I'm just starting out.
Speaker B:And I'd applied to other galleries and exhibitions and gotten rejections, but this was the place where I was like, I really want to make this one count.
Speaker B:So I made the piece for it, I wrote about it, and so I'm one of 25 plus artists who are going to have different mediums of work being shown for the month of July in St.
Speaker B:Paul at Folk Studios.
Speaker B:So I am really excited to even just see the other work that is there and just.
Speaker B:I got one piece in it, so I'm very happy about that.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:And it's a big deal.
Speaker A:It's.
Speaker A:It is a big deal.
Speaker A:And I'm excited for you, excited that you're gonna be a part of that exhibition.
Speaker A:For folks who are curious about wanting to check it out, it's at the Folk Studios.
Speaker A:It's in St.
Speaker A:Paul.
Speaker A:I would see if I can put the description and the.
Speaker A:And the link in the description for folks to check it out, possibly your Instagram, so they can go there and look and find it.
Speaker A:But yeah, there's an opening reception on July 5th, and then there is an artist talk on July 11th.
Speaker A:And so if you're in the Twin Cities, please go check it out.
Speaker A:It's always a good time to go support black art.
Speaker B:Thank you, Harry.
Speaker B:You shouted it out so hard.
Speaker B:Thank you, all the teachers.
Speaker A:Yeah, for sure, for sure.
Speaker A:I'm really excited to see, you know, Yo Peace and all the other incredible artists who are going to be showing their work showcasing like, black excellence and black, you know, the beauty of the black experience too.
Speaker A:So I'm excited about that.
Speaker A:I have a curiosity about.
Speaker A:Because you obviously aren't from the Twin Cities.
Speaker A:You moved here.
Speaker A:What is it like?
Speaker A:What has your experience been as a new artist trying to make it in the Twin Cities?
Speaker A:What has that been like for you?
Speaker B:Let's see, what has it been like for me?
Speaker B:I think that I've noticed some interesting patterns too, in the Twin Cities.
Speaker B:There is a.
Speaker B:It is a small, big city in the sense that the people that you want to talk to usually are, you know, a person or two away from you, are accessible if you really, you know, want to reach and get out to them, which is amazing.
Speaker B:And there are different types of groups here as well.
Speaker B:One thing I really like about the Twin Cities is that there are different types of smaller studios that do engage artists on lots of different levels.
Speaker B:And there's just a lot to do art related here.
Speaker B:Like, I remember when I was getting ready to move here, everyone kept on saying, oh, you're going to love the art scene.
Speaker B:It's like, so.
Speaker B:It's so.
Speaker B:It's so on.
Speaker B:And I think it's going in a great direction too.
Speaker B:But I think that for me, I found people who are excited to invest in young creatives, me being one of them.
Speaker B:And I'm really grateful for the mentors and the people that I've met here who are willing to give me a chance and also just see my worth and are interested in collaborating together.
Speaker B:I can't express how much I value that year.
Speaker A:Yeah, I think that the.
Speaker A:The arts in here is so rich and it's so diverse and it's just bustling, you know, I think that's what I love the most about, you know, living here.
Speaker A:It's just the art.
Speaker A:The art is just beautiful to see, and I'm glad that it is, you know, working for you and it is like speaking for you.
Speaker A:Also, I have a little curiosity again about.
Speaker A:Cause from all you've been saying, your art seems very personal.
Speaker A:So how do you balance how much you're sharing with the folks who are going to be engaging with the arts and how much are you keeping to yourself?
Speaker A:What does that dance look like for you?
Speaker B:It definitely is a dance.
Speaker B:I think that it is something I'm still figuring out to be really honest.
Speaker B:So much of the artwork I am making is telling a personal story or coming from a place of vulnerable emotions.
Speaker B:So I think it really is just about practicing it for me.
Speaker B:And, yeah, just knowing when something just feels too raw, too personal to share is something that I'm working through.
Speaker B:But I was actually at a conference, the State of Black Design at mcad.
Speaker B:And it was really amazing because I heard on a panel, you know, someone was really just feeling emotions and the facilitator said, share safely.
Speaker B:And I had never really kind of heard that we always say safe space, which I'm just like, okay, only therapy is in a safe space, I feel like.
Speaker B:But she just said, share safely.
Speaker B:And that really stuck with me.
Speaker B:So that's something I think I'm going to try to practice going forward in the spaces that I'm going to be talking about my art as well.
Speaker B:That's a really good question.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:And I'm also going to.
Speaker A:I'm also going to take that safely.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Because I feel like that is something that, as creatives, you know, sometimes you never really figure out what line we are on, whether we are saying so much or doing so much or saying not enough, you know, and so, yeah, I love.
Speaker A:I love Run.
Speaker B:Run with it.
Speaker B:It's yours now.
Speaker B:Harry.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:I'm curious if you're working as exhibition could speak, what do you think it would say to your younger self or someone who is questioning their place in the diaspora?
Speaker B:I think that I would.
Speaker B:The piece is definitely saying you are not too much like the feelings.
Speaker B:You feel valid, what you're going through challenging and confusing.
Speaker B:And there is beauty in that.
Speaker B:But you aren't too much.
Speaker B:And the things that maybe feel too raw maybe don't feel very like you don't have necessarily an outlet.
Speaker B:You'll find them, they will come.
Speaker B:And yeah, you'll never be too much.
Speaker B:What are some words or what was like an experience that you had at an art place or even somewhere else that you.
Speaker B:Your child self, little Harry, needed to hear.
Speaker B:What was something that you connected with recently?
Speaker A:That is a good question.
Speaker A:Nothing that I can think of right off the top of my head.
Speaker A:I've seen a couple of plays that have really stuck with me.
Speaker A:I talk about it in the episode.
Speaker A:In the most recent episode of Odejuma, I speak to an actor and we were talking about Jaja's African hair braiding, like a play set in a hair braiding shop in Harlem, and how it was a very timely piece.
Speaker A:So I connected to that as someone who is an immigrant in America.
Speaker A:And then last year, I saw.
Speaker A:I don't know if it's.
Speaker A:I don't.
Speaker A:I don't know if it's a.
Speaker A:Or if it is a.
Speaker A:Because it was.
Speaker A:Was like a.
Speaker A:It wasn't a musical, but it wasn't a.
Speaker A:It was a play that had music.
Speaker A:You know, it had some folk music with drums.
Speaker A:It was very intimate then.
Speaker A:So the.
Speaker A:The.
Speaker A:But.
Speaker A:The.
Speaker A:But the play was about.
Speaker A:And I talk about it also in my episode on grief with my sisters.
Speaker A:It was the play I was watching when my.
Speaker A:When my dad passed.
Speaker A:And the characters on the play and my life were kind of, like, very similar.
Speaker A:And so it was like.
Speaker A:It was a very surreal experience that I was having.
Speaker A:And I was like, May.
Speaker A:Last.
Speaker A:May of last year.
Speaker A:And so those are, like, experiences that I've had, but those who have been performing arts.
Speaker A:I know that.
Speaker B:Wait, wait.
Speaker B:That what you just shared was, like, so.
Speaker B:So important and so moving.
Speaker B:Okay, wait, so you were watching the play, and it sounds like it was really moving.
Speaker B:At the same time, were you.
Speaker B:You were getting the news that your father had.
Speaker A:I got the news after I saw the play.
Speaker A:So, yeah.
Speaker A:And the play reminded me of my father and my relationship with my father, and not just with my dad, with my parents in general as someone.
Speaker A:Because it was about, like, a Haitian migrant and his first gen son who was gay and how they would be estranged.
Speaker A:And so after seeing that play, you know, I got the news that my dad had passed.
Speaker A:And even though while I was watching the play, I was very emotional and it felt like someone was consoling me in the play.
Speaker A:So I do feel like, you know, he came to find me before he, you know, when he passed.
Speaker B:Thank you.
Speaker A:Which is very.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:Thank you for even sharing that.
Speaker B:That.
Speaker B:That's.
Speaker B:I think that is beautiful.
Speaker B:And that he came to you.
Speaker B:It sounds like you also really connect with the performing arts and theater.
Speaker A:I do, I do.
Speaker A:But also, I think it was in Philly.
Speaker A:I don't know if it's in Philly or.
Speaker A:I think it was in Philly.
Speaker A:I went to.
Speaker A:I went to a gallery.
Speaker A:It's like a gallery for, like, African American art.
Speaker A:And they had an exhibition.
Speaker A:I don't really.
Speaker A:It's very fuzzy to me, which is why I cannot really say, but it was a piece of art in that exhibition that really struck me.
Speaker A:And it was by Nigerian.
Speaker A:Nigerian artists.
Speaker A:I forgot it.
Speaker A:I've forgotten their name, but I know I Googled them, you know, and I think followed them on Instagram afterwards.
Speaker A:That was Such a moving piece.
Speaker A:But yeah, that was last year also in Philly.
Speaker A:So, yeah, I do.
Speaker A:I do connect to different mediums.
Speaker A:I know I went to LA and I saw.
Speaker A:But I'm spacing out on these, on the artist's listen.
Speaker B:But that's so.
Speaker B:I was gonna say, but that's so real because sometimes we unfortunately, sometimes in moments, we forget the name of the artist, but we don't remember how it made us feel.
Speaker B:But sorry, you were about to say in la.
Speaker A:Yeah, yeah, yeah, I saw.
Speaker A:I went to an exhibition too, that I thought was really beautiful.
Speaker A:And if the exhibition felt very vulnerable with the pieces that I was seeing, it was a lot of, you know, as it was a black artists, lots of black women, but in very vulnerable positions and expressions.
Speaker A:And I thought, you know, I just could connect, you know, because I feel like over the past year, I've been.
Speaker A:I've been in a state of vulnerability just with how I'm moving, with how I'm, you know, trying to move into this new iteration of self, even with, like, creating this, you know, podcast and everything.
Speaker B:And so I'm so happy that you created this.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:Because you stepped away from podcasting for a time, but you have returned and I'm so glad that you have.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Thank you.
Speaker A:Thank you very much.
Speaker A:I really appreciate you.
Speaker A:Look at your interviewing me when I'm supposed to be interviewing.
Speaker B:Listen, I like asking questions.
Speaker B:I'm so curious about you too.
Speaker B:But it's okay, you can ask me more questions.
Speaker B:I'm here.
Speaker A:It'S okay.
Speaker A:And on you can.
Speaker A:You can ask.
Speaker A:Also, like, I'm always happy to share.
Speaker A:I feel like you never really know how the conversations go.
Speaker A:You know, I'm curious about what has your experience been like, running your studio?
Speaker A:It's a year old in the Twin Cities.
Speaker A:I know you've talked about how being an artist here has been good so far, but running a studio is a different ballgame entirely.
Speaker A:So how has that been also?
Speaker B:That's very true.
Speaker B:Very different from making the art, from running the business to make the art.
Speaker B:I've learned a lot about spreadsheets.
Speaker B:I feel like I've learned a lot about the business end as well.
Speaker B:There is still a lot for me to learn and I luckily have people around me who I feel like can definitely provide insight too.
Speaker B:But I feel like there.
Speaker B:I feel like there's a lot of possibility in the cities, and I also feel like there are some very large boots as well.
Speaker B:Not that, you know, I have to fill anybody else's.
Speaker B:I can try to make my own.
Speaker B:But there are a lot of people that I really look up to around in the Twin Cities of how they started their studio.
Speaker B:So I think I'm still figuring out what type of studio this is.
Speaker B:Is this an independent one where, you know, you're the sole artist, or is this a studio like the Bureau or Juxta is not, of course a studio, but I feel like it has studio S components.
Speaker B:But yeah, I feel like I'm really exploring it is.
Speaker B:It's young, she's new.
Speaker B:And I also wanted to totally tell you the story too behind why I named it this.
Speaker B:My nickname.
Speaker B:Like, so my full name is Dalali.
Speaker B:And then my sister always calls me Dell and my parents are like, don't shorten her name.
Speaker B:It's so short.
Speaker B:Why are you shortening it?
Speaker B:But anyway, Dell and then AKU is my middle name.
Speaker B:So that means also born on a Wednesday.
Speaker B:So I wasn't sure if you have that at all.
Speaker B:And like your culture.
Speaker B:So everyone like, is whatever day that they're born, that's their middle name.
Speaker B:So like, my sister is afi I think that's Friday.
Speaker B:But anyway, so I was like, I'm going to combine these two parts of my name.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:Just to really start the studio.
Speaker B:And we're still figuring it out.
Speaker B:We're still exploring.
Speaker A:So we got some rapid fire questions to get to know you.
Speaker A:Just a fun.
Speaker A:A couple of fun things on our list.
Speaker A:So I'm going to go ahead and start.
Speaker A:What are the top three songs on your playlist right now?
Speaker B:I'm so ready.
Speaker B:It is number one.
Speaker B:Did you even care?
Speaker B:By Dreamer, Isamoa, amazing artist Heart Part 6, Kendrick Lamar and Cut up by Sailor.
Speaker B:These are on repeat, so shout out to that.
Speaker A:Those are really good selections too.
Speaker B:CM thank you.
Speaker A:Okay, cool.
Speaker A:What is your favorite food?
Speaker B:It is spicy miso ramen.
Speaker B:That is my absolute favorite food.
Speaker B:If you have a good ramen, please let me know because I'm still trying to find some in the Midwest here.
Speaker A:I went to.
Speaker A:I did have ramen at East Street Crossing and I liked it.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker A:Now, I don't know if that is the standard for ramen, but I really enjoyed it there.
Speaker A:So maybe you can try out the ramen spot over there.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:I think I've tried it before.
Speaker B:I think I have a very high standard for ramen from the East Coast.
Speaker B:I'm like, I want it to be fresh.
Speaker B:No shade.
Speaker B:No shade.
Speaker A:You see?
Speaker B:You see?
Speaker A:Okay, cool.
Speaker A:What is your favorite spot in the Twin Cities in general?
Speaker B:This is like rip But Stepchild.
Speaker B:Stepchild is such a good black owned restaurant.
Speaker B:Delicious food, great vibes.
Speaker B:But they're closing in August, so I gotta get all my things in.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Damn.
Speaker A:So y' all go to Stepchild before they close.
Speaker A:I've not been there before, so I'll definitely go check that out too as well.
Speaker B:Yes, please go check it out.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Who are the artists you're inspired by?
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:I'm super inspired by Deborah Roberts.
Speaker B:She's a really amazing collage artist.
Speaker B:She was actually at the MIA show.
Speaker B:But also, I'm not trying to like go too too long, am I?
Speaker B:Do you want me to answer them?
Speaker B:Much more short.
Speaker B:I'm kind of rambling a little bit.
Speaker A:Do you answer as you can?
Speaker A:Answer as you can.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:I love the.
Speaker B:I love her so, so much because she really also thinks about the unseen versus seen.
Speaker B:And so she makes collage artwork about black children.
Speaker B:And her work is just stunning.
Speaker B:And then one more person I'm also inspired by.
Speaker B:Inspired by is Akeem Salman.
Speaker B:He's a harpist and interdisciplinary artist as well, and director.
Speaker B:And he really does like post colonial storytelling with his artwork.
Speaker B:And it's just beautiful.
Speaker A:Awesome.
Speaker A:Okay, cool.
Speaker A:And finally, what is your favorite holiday destination?
Speaker A:It can be somewhere you've been to or somewhere in your hope or somewhere to.
Speaker B:Hold.
Speaker B:I told my girlfriend, I was just like, I want to see an island before the end of the year.
Speaker B:But right.
Speaker B:Usually it's anywhere with the ocean.
Speaker B:So anywhere there's a coast, it's pretty, there's sand and good sun.
Speaker B:That is where I really want to be.
Speaker A:Okay, shout out to that.
Speaker A:Thank you for answering those and for the recommendations also.
Speaker A:Yes, I'm sure it'll be very helpful as we wrap up.
Speaker A:What's next for your artistically and what stories are you dreaming of telling next?
Speaker B:Let's see, what's that?
Speaker B:For me, artistically, I am interested in actually exploring more of what it's like to do branding work for different companies and individuals that I really am excited by.
Speaker B:And their mission intrigues me.
Speaker B:So I really actually want to build out more of my portfolio around branding and that area.
Speaker B:I still want to create some artwork though, for shows and yeah, my pieces for sale.
Speaker B:But you know, if it doesn't sell, that's okay because then I can submit it to other places too.
Speaker B:So just trying to get my artwork more out there and also show it for other artists as well and be present because that's important too.
Speaker A:Awesome.
Speaker A:Awesome.
Speaker A:And thank you for coming.
Speaker A:And I'm gonna just run through this again for the folks listening.
Speaker A:For you folks who are in the Twin Cities area, Dalali is a part of the Afrocentric Eclectic Art Exhibition.
Speaker A:They'll be unveiling a brand new piece of artwork at the show, so please go check that out.
Speaker A:The exhibition showcases different, you know, artistic mediums and shows the diversity of, you know, the black experience.
Speaker A:So please go check it out.
Speaker A:The Lally will be at the open reception Saturday, July 5 from 5 to 9pm at Fox Studios in St.
Speaker A:Paul and there's an artist talk on July 11 from 68 at the same Fox Studios in St.
Speaker A:Paul on the third floor in St.
Speaker A:Paul.
Speaker A:And the gallery will be open with the exhibition from July 2 to July 19.
Speaker A:So Twin Cities folks, art lovers, please show up and support Black art.
Speaker B:Thank you so much Harry.
Speaker B:I have loved this conversation with you and I'm so excited to see you at the opening or the artist talk either.
Speaker B:I'm so excited and thank you so much for promoting letting me be here and just talk to you.
Speaker B:I really enjoyed it.
Speaker A:Of course, no problem at all.
Speaker A:It was my pleasure.
Speaker A:Thank you so much for listening.
Speaker A:Till the next episode.
Speaker A:Odejoma.
