July 3, 2025 • 34 mins
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.
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Episode Transcript
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(00:00):
Hi, my name is Harry andwelcome to Odejuma.
Odejuma recognizes the magicof storytelling.
From personal experiences tostories of adventure, from tales
of resilience to finding joyin the simple things, this story
seeks to inspire, entertain,and educate.
Because there is power in thestories of everyday people.
(00:21):
And these stories are worth telling.
Hey, y' all.
Welcome to another episode of Odejuma.
I'm really excited abouttoday's episode.
Cause I have Delali with me.
(00:41):
Delali is a Minneapolis basedmultimedia artist and also the founder
of the Del AKU studio.
So.
Hey, Dalali, how are you?
Hey.
I'm so excited to be here today.
Thank you so much for havingme on your amazing podcast.
Really happy to talk today.
Yeah, I'm super, I'm superexcited to talk with you about your
(01:01):
art, which I think is beautiful.
Like, I think that the thingsthat you create are so beautiful
and, you know, people have tobe talking about your work.
So I'm very excited to dive into this conversation and also talk
about the exhibition thatyou're a part of that's going to
be showing in St.
Paul.
So I'm so excited to just,like, dive right in.
(01:24):
But before we go, before we goany further, I want to, like, know,
like, take us back to the verybeginning of how did you get into
art?
What was growing up like for you?
And when did you realize that,you know, you just loved art space?
Yeah, great question.
So for some context, I'm fromcentral Pennsylvania, so really,
(01:45):
really different than righthere in Minnesota.
But what I really realizedgrowing up around me.
So I'm from a smaller kind ofrural college town in Pennsylvania,
so right between Philly and Pittsburgh.
So it's like a equidistancebetween the two.
And I grew up in a lot offarmland and also around a lot of,
(02:05):
like, academia.
So it was like thisinteresting contrast.
My dad is a professor, mymom's a teacher, and I have one older
sister.
And we were very likeoutdoorsy kids.
We were always being taughtto, like, go outside and make your
own games and play outsideand, you know, all that kind of thing,
ride your bikes.
So I got a lot of exposurejust realizing what I liked by being
(02:28):
outside and through exploration.
And my parents were veryencouraging of us getting into like,
the arts or following thingsthat we really were excited about.
And from a young age, I wasactually really obsessed with jazz.
And so I'd be listening tolike, you know, Duke Ellington and
Miles Davis and all of the greats.
And I got into playing jazz piano.
(02:48):
So that was Actually the firstart form that I feel like I got really
into and really excited by.
But yeah, I've been making artfor my whole life.
All different mediums.
Ceramics, visual, danced for along time.
I landed on the visual arts though.
So we are here and we've arrived.
It's very interesting.
You talk about how you'veexplored different forms of like,
(03:09):
art, from the visual to theperforming, but now you settle on
visual.
And what is it about visualthat has made you be like, okay,
this is where I want to beright now?
Yeah, for me, I really likethe visual arts because one, I'm
just a very visual person.
Like, that is kind of how Ilearn and how I absorb information
really well.
(03:29):
Although there are so manyways to learn, just visual has always
been like the most influentialfor me and the way I feel like I
can express myself the most alot of times also it was about access
too.
So I was in art school andthen also finished a degree in communication.
That's kind of this long paththat I took to get where I am today.
But visual communication andaudio communication have been really
(03:53):
crucial to shaping how I make art.
So that's kind of why I reallylike to do it, is because seeing
is so universal and that's howI get really influenced as well.
That's pretty cool to know.
And I, and I was reading, youknow, about your work and you talk
about how growing up in amixed race household and you know,
how we had you questioningyour place in the black diaspora.
(04:16):
And I know you talked about,you know, being raised by your dad
a professor, your mom a teacher.
How has that, all of that, howhas that shaped you?
And can you talk a little bitabout that?
Yeah, definitely.
So my dad is Ghanaian and mymom is white.
So very mixed race householdand culturally really mixed as well.
You know, also as a fellowimmigrant, black and immigrant sometimes
(04:40):
always are not thought of aslike the same thing.
So that was really what washappening in my house, which is the
African Ghanaian side was likeran hard and so did the white.
But I as like, you know, firstgen was really perceived as a black
person and a black woman.
So no one really prepped mefor what that was going to be like.
So I was really searchingthroughout my entire life, I still
(05:02):
am, for where I feel like Ican tap into and where I see representation
of myself in the black community.
So it was really kind ofactually just through jazz and random
pieces of artwork that Istarted to see more of myself.
And so that was actually oneof the reasons I started to make
art was because I.
I wanted to have control overa story that I felt like many didn't
(05:26):
quite know how to likedescribe or tell or was misconstrued
about being mixed.
And mine was so different.
So I wanted to actually likeput words to it, put visuals to it.
So that's a little bit moreabout how I make art and why I do
it from my background, if thatmakes sense.
Yeah.
And I feel like there isalways a lot to pull when you have
like two different like experiences.
(05:48):
You actually even like, youhave your.
Your dad has his experience asa black immigrant in America, your
mom has experiences as awhite, and then they have their experience
as, you know, a couple andraising mixed race children who are
perceived as black.
I feel like everything is alearning call for your family.
(06:09):
Yeah.
And so like, what looking backat like growing up, up until where
you are now, are there likeany lessons you feel like you've
picked up and has shaped whoyou are now in how you move through
the world?
That's a.
Yeah, great question.
I feel like for me it wasabout realizing what felt like home
(06:30):
and authenticity for me andsomething I learned and would like
to probably like, tell like ayounger version of myself is that
what feels comfortable, whatfeels welcoming, what feels loving,
is black is beautiful.
That can sound a littlecliche, but there are many moments
where I was told who I wasmore than felt who I was.
(06:53):
And there's this, you know,fracturing of identity in the.
In many racial spaces.
But I feel like it's verycommon in the white and black space
for kids.
So that was kind of reallyhard to work through as a child and
like young teen.
So I'd say it's not that youare black and white or white, it's
just kind of like you are bothand you can sit in both the worlds,
(07:17):
but there's just a lot of lovein the black spaces and white spaces.
But I felt really, reallyloved when I started to know more
of who I was.
So I guess the last one wouldbe like, go where home feels like
for you, even if it's notnecessarily in your own home.
Go to the places that alsofeel like home too.
You talk about how art hasbeen a liberating force, you know,
(07:38):
and helping you recenter yourqueer experience.
Can you talk a little bitabout that and what that has been
like for you?
Definitely for me, it wasseeing other queer artists and other
black artists and just otherPOC artists create art that made
me feel really free and mademe Feel challenged and expressed
(08:00):
and seen.
I think a lot of what I wasdoing growing up was trying to fit
in, you know, awkwardteenagers and trying to figure out
where they are in the world.
And it's still a process and asearch, but for me, it was about
seeing other people be more ofwho they were and giving me that
permission through art to alsodo the same.
So through my artwork, Ireally try and focus on complex parts
(08:24):
of my identity that feelchallenging to access in other ways.
So a lot of it is about, like,how do I tell a story that necessarily
doesn't need to be writtenabout, but needs to be, like, gotten
out, so instead of spoken,just expressed in a different medium
and really just to be free.
But also, I'm curious about you.
(08:45):
You're in the arts.
You are everywhere.
What, what has art been likefor you?
How do you relate to art forms?
And what is something that youreally gravitate towards?
That's a very interesting question.
And I think that for me, withlike, art, art has always been escapism
from me.
For me, right, it's been like,oh, this is a reality that is somewhat
(09:07):
better than my current reality.
And I can escape into.
I can go into the mind of theartist and be there and learn and
look at the world throughtheir eyes.
And so whether performing artslike the theater or with music, or
we dance, or if it's likevisual art forms, if it's a painting
or a sculpture, I'm alwayslooking to what is the artist trying
(09:30):
to say?
And that has expanded my mind.
It has given me empathy in aways that I never thought I would
have, which is low key.
Why I don't really relate toabstract art.
No offense to folks who makeabstract art.
I think that it's a beautiful.
I think abstract art is beautiful.
I feel like it's beautiful tolook at, but like, I engage with
art that I can understand alittle bit easy.
(09:54):
I, I, like I said, it's a formof escapism for me.
And so, yeah, I think that'show I look at it.
And I feel like I havediscovered pieces of myself through
being in art spaces, which iswhy I really love.
Art spaces.
You know, and it's almost likeI feel like I can do more.
(10:15):
I always leave, I always leavean 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, Ican do more.
I can be more, you know.
And so, yeah, I hope that.
No, that really did because Iwas curious to know how you relate
(10:37):
to the arts.
And I feel like what I'mhearing you describe is, like, it's
escapism, but also gives you,in a form, permission to live more
and just express and be moreof who you are.
That's beautiful.
Because, Harry, I be seeingyou outside.
I see you at the wonderful exhibitions.
I feel like I'm alwayscrossing paths with you at art events,
which is lovely.
(10:57):
Yeah, yeah.
I think the last.
I think the last art event wasthe Giants event.
I think that's where.
Yes, that's where I see you.
Yeah.
At the mia.
But I wanted to also answeranother question that you had posed,
too, which was like, what kindof, like, what in my environment
made me want to, like, makeart, especially around, like, Afrofuturism.
(11:20):
Because Afrofuturism is reallya theme that goes throughout my artwork.
And it was actually alsoescapism as well.
I really liked reading as akid and, like, listening to books
and, like, audiobooks.
Do you remember those old,like, over the ear headphones and,
like, the little walk?
Yeah.
Yeah.
So I was always listening to those.
(11:42):
And I was very into, like, scifi and afrofuturistic stories.
So, you know, all the greatswas listening to them.
So I realized I was like,okay, Afrofuturism is not just, like,
about, you know, the futureand, like, where we're gonna go,
but it's, like, the actual actof, like, black people envisioning
(12:03):
themselves and being thearchitects of, like, their futures
and also, like, their present moments.
And so I thought it was reallyinteresting that you're also talking
about how art is an escape,because I really relate to that,
too.
Yeah, yeah.
Talk about Afrofuturism, like,because we're already here now.
How is it, like, very evidentin your work, like, how do you use
(12:25):
the elements in your.
In your artistic practice?
Yeah, yeah, definitely.
So, like, I think that for me,a huge part of the, like, the question
I'm trying to answer formyself is like, okay, so you're not
this, like, fracture of identity.
You're like a multitude.
So you're complex.
You're.
You have depth.
(12:46):
What is that depth?
And also what is the complexity?
And what are some tensions Ihold within myself?
So a lot of the times I feellike with my artwork, I use Afrofuturism
to look at myself and think,okay, so you are a whole person.
But what have you not dared todream about?
What parts of your idea,identity, have you felt like you
haven't owned that can be yours?
(13:06):
Because I think afrofuturismis A taking back of power.
It is a process of reclamationas well.
So, for instance, this piecethat I made for this upcoming exhibition
is a self portrait.
And it really.
I used, like, cultural touchpoints in my family home growing
up to think about the conceptof masks.
(13:29):
And I'm sorry, I know we have,like, a thing we're doing, but I'm,
like, excited to talk about.
Okay, yeah, sure, go ahead, share.
Okay.
So when we're thinking aboutthe concepts of masks, I was fascinated
by this.
My dad would go home to Ghanaevery couple of years or so and,
you know, bring back differentpieces and cloth.
(13:51):
And his.
One of his tooth cases isalways just dedicated to, like, cloth.
My mom loved to sew it as aseamstress, so she'd be sewing us
dresses and whatever it was, curtains.
So I was, like, always seeingthese pieces of, like, my culture
and identity brought into thehouse, but didn't quite always know
how to interact with them.
(14:12):
So we had, like, masks hangingon the walls and a lot of, like,
I love gold jewelry andobsessed with that, you know.
So, like, Ghana is one of themain places on the west coast that
is a, you know, place wheremining happens too.
So I.
I just was really interestedin thinking about.
Okay, so I love the idea ofmasks, but also, like, what masks
(14:32):
do.
I feel like I wear as a personwho was mixed, who is queer to fit
into different spaces, andthen what of it do I want to own?
So, like, how can masksinstead be like this thing that is
meant to hide our identities?
What could I build a mask ofmy identities instead?
So kind of flipping the ideaof what masks are.
(14:54):
So, like, for the piece I madeof my self portrait, it is lots of
layered photos of me indifferent parts of my face, but also
layered in with, like, wooden.
A wood, a piece of a woodenmask, gold that I lifted, the patterns
that I drew.
Like, I would see my mom'sfabric that she'd sew with and.
Yeah, just really thinkingabout how I could make my own mask
(15:14):
of my own identity.
That is pretty amazing.
And I mean, which leads us to,you know, the exhibition.
It's titled AfrocentricEclectic Exploring Black Diasporic
Identities.
So tell me about that.
I know you've talked about thecreative process a little bit more,
but can you go into, first ofall, like, how you found out about
(15:35):
the exhibition?
You know, just the backgroundoverview and also what you're most
excited about people seeingfrom the exhibition.
Yeah, I'd be happy to shoutout to Regine, the queen.
They are amazing artist andcommunity organizer and arts educator
here in the Twin Cities.
They're holding it down in St.
Paul, but they really wantedto create a exhibition that featured
(16:01):
a diverse collection of blackartists and black stories and narratives.
It's something that reallydrew me to apply to the show was
the idea of revealing theunseen and the complexity of black
identity.
So I started my company in2024, and I was getting more commission
(16:22):
work, interest in what I was doing.
And I really wanted to create,like, an official place where people
could know me and come to meand work with me.
So part of my intention forstarting it too, was to create a
place for black, queer, bipocpeople to express themselves, painting,
be supported, and also formyself, too.
And so in a very roundaboutway, I was drawn to this because
(16:45):
I also am really in thisprocess of trying to reveal the unseen
and the things that we thinkare locked in about black identity
and things that we think weknow about black identity, other
black people think that theyknow are a sure thing.
But there's so much more andthere's so much more depth.
And so that's why I was like,I want to be a part of this show.
(17:07):
Had.
I'm a new artist, I'm young,so I'm just starting out.
And I'd applied to othergalleries and exhibitions and gotten
rejections, but this was theplace where I was like, I really
want to make this one count.
So I made the piece for it, Iwrote about it, and so I'm one of
25 plus artists who are goingto have different mediums of work
being shown for the month ofJuly in St.
(17:28):
Paul at Folk Studios.
So I am really excited to evenjust see the other work that is there
and just.
I got one piece in it, so I'mvery happy about that.
Yeah.
And it's a big deal.
It's.
It is a big deal.
And I'm excited for you,excited that you're gonna be a part
of that exhibition.
For folks who are curiousabout wanting to check it out, it's
(17:49):
at the Folk Studios.
It's in St.
Paul.
I would see if I can put thedescription and the.
And the link in thedescription for folks to check it
out, possibly your Instagram,so they can go there and look and
find it.
But yeah, there's an openingreception on July 5th, and then there
is an artist talk on July 11th.
And so if you're in the TwinCities, please go check it out.
(18:12):
It's always a good time to gosupport black art.
Thank you, Harry.
You shouted it out so hard.
Thank you, all the teachers.
Yeah, for sure, for sure.
I'm really excited to see, youknow, Yo Peace and all the other
incredible artists who aregoing to be showing their work showcasing
like, black excellence andblack, you know, the beauty of the
(18:33):
black experience too.
So I'm excited about that.
I have a curiosity about.
Because you obviously aren'tfrom the Twin Cities.
You moved here.
What is it like?
What has your experience beenas a new artist trying to make it
in the Twin Cities?
What has that been like for you?
Let's see, what has it beenlike for me?
(18:53):
I think that I've noticed someinteresting patterns too, in the
Twin Cities.
There is a.
It is a small, big city in thesense that the people that you want
to talk to usually are, youknow, 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.
And there are different typesof groups here as well.
(19:17):
One thing I really like aboutthe Twin Cities is that there are
different types of smallerstudios that do engage artists on
lots of different levels.
And there's just a lot to doart related here.
Like, I remember when I wasgetting ready to move here, everyone
kept on saying, oh, you'regoing to love the art scene.
It's like, so.
It's so.
It's so on.
And I think it's going in agreat direction too.
(19:37):
But I think that for me, Ifound people who are excited to invest
in young creatives, me beingone of them.
And I'm really grateful forthe mentors and the people that I've
met here who are willing togive me a chance and also just see
my worth and are interested incollaborating together.
I can't express how much Ivalue that year.
(19:58):
Yeah, I think that the.
The arts in here is so richand it's so diverse and it's just
bustling, you know, I thinkthat's what I love the most about,
you know, living here.
It's just the art.
The art is just beautiful tosee, and I'm glad that it is, you
know, working for you and itis like speaking for you.
Also, I have a littlecuriosity again about.
(20:22):
Cause from all you've beensaying, your art seems very personal.
So how do you balance how muchyou're sharing with the folks who
are going to be engaging withthe arts and how much are you keeping
to yourself?
What does that dance look likefor you?
It definitely is a dance.
I think that it is somethingI'm still figuring out to be really
(20:43):
honest.
So much of the artwork I ammaking is telling a personal story
or coming from a place ofvulnerable emotions.
So I think it really is justabout practicing it for me.
And, yeah, just knowing whensomething just feels too raw, too
personal to share is somethingthat I'm working through.
But I was actually at aconference, the State of Black Design
(21:06):
at mcad.
And it was really amazingbecause I heard on a panel, you know,
someone was really justfeeling emotions and the facilitator
said, share safely.
And I had never really kind ofheard that we always say safe space,
which I'm just like, okay,only therapy is in a safe space,
I feel like.
But she just said, share safely.
And that really stuck with me.
So that's something I thinkI'm going to try to practice going
(21:27):
forward in the spaces that I'mgoing to be talking about my art
as well.
That's a really good question.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And I'm also going to.
I'm also going to take that safely.
Yeah.
Because I feel like that issomething that, as creatives, you
know, sometimes you neverreally figure out what line we are
on, whether we are saying somuch or doing so much or saying not
(21:49):
enough, you know, and so,yeah, I love.
I love Run.
Run with it.
It's yours now.
Harry.
Yeah.
I'm curious if you're workingas exhibition could speak, what do
you think it would say to youryounger self or someone who is questioning
their place in the diaspora?
I think that I would.
The piece is definitely sayingyou are not too much like the feelings.
(22:12):
You feel valid, what you'regoing through challenging and confusing.
And there is beauty in that.
But you aren't too much.
And the things that maybe feeltoo raw maybe don't feel very like
you don't have necessarily an outlet.
You'll find them, they will come.
And yeah, you'll never be too much.
What are some words or whatwas like an experience that you had
(22:34):
at an art place or evensomewhere else that you.
Your child self, little Harry,needed to hear.
What was something that youconnected with recently?
That is a good question.
Nothing that I can think ofright off the top of my head.
I've seen a couple of playsthat have really stuck with me.
(22:54):
I talk about it in the episode.
In the most recent episode ofOdejuma, I speak to an actor and
we were talking about Jaja'sAfrican hair braiding, like a play
set in a hair braiding shop inHarlem, and how it was a very timely
(23:16):
piece.
So I connected to that assomeone who is an immigrant in America.
And then last year, I saw.
I don't know if it's.
I don't.
I don't know if it's a.
Or if it is a.
Because it was.
Was like a.
It wasn't a musical, but itwasn't a.
It was a play that had music.
You know, it had some folkmusic with drums.
(23:37):
It was very intimate then.
So the.
The.
But.
The.
But the play was about.
And I talk about it also in myepisode on grief with my sisters.
It was the play I was watchingwhen my.
When my dad passed.
And the characters on the playand my life were kind of, like, very
similar.
And so it was like.
It was a very surrealexperience that I was having.
(23:59):
And I was like, May.
Last.
May of last year.
And so those are, like,experiences that I've had, but those
who have been performing arts.
I know that.
Wait, wait.
That what you just shared was,like, so.
So important and so moving.
Okay, wait, so you werewatching the play, and it sounds
(24:20):
like it was really moving.
At the same time, were you.
You were getting the news thatyour father had.
I got the news after I saw the play.
So, yeah.
And the play reminded me of myfather and my relationship with my
father, and not just with mydad, with my parents in general as
someone.
Because it was about, like, aHaitian migrant and his first gen
son who was gay and how theywould be estranged.
(24:41):
And so after seeing that play,you know, I got the news that my
dad had passed.
And even though while I waswatching the play, I was very emotional
and it felt like someone wasconsoling me in the play.
So I do feel like, you know,he came to find me before he, you
know, when he passed.
Thank you.
Which is very.
Yeah.
Thank you for even sharing that.
(25:02):
That.
That's.
I think that is beautiful.
And that he came to you.
It sounds like you also reallyconnect with the performing arts
and theater.
I do, I do.
But also, I think it was in Philly.
I don't know if it's in Philly or.
I think it was in Philly.
I went to.
I went to a gallery.
It's like a gallery for, like,African American art.
And they had an exhibition.
(25:23):
I don't really.
It's very fuzzy to me, whichis why I cannot really say, but it
was a piece of art in thatexhibition that really struck me.
And it was by Nigerian.
Nigerian artists.
I forgot it.
I've forgotten their name, butI know I Googled them, you know,
and I think followed them onInstagram afterwards.
That was Such a moving piece.
But yeah, that was last yearalso in Philly.
(25:45):
So, yeah, I do.
I do connect to different mediums.
I know I went to LA and I saw.
But I'm spacing out on these,on the artist's listen.
But that's so.
I was gonna say, but that's soreal because sometimes we unfortunately,
sometimes in moments, weforget the name of the artist, but
we don't remember how it madeus feel.
But sorry, you were about tosay in la.
(26:05):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I saw.
I went to an exhibition too,that I thought was really beautiful.
And if the exhibition feltvery 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 invery vulnerable positions and expressions.
(26:29):
And I thought, you know, Ijust could connect, you know, because
I feel like over the pastyear, I've been.
I've been in a state ofvulnerability just with how I'm moving,
with how I'm, you know, tryingto move into this new iteration of
self, even with, like,creating this, you know, podcast
and everything.
And so I'm so happy that youcreated this.
(26:49):
Right.
Because you stepped away frompodcasting for a time, but you have
returned and I'm so glad thatyou have.
Yeah.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
I really appreciate you.
Look at your interviewing mewhen I'm supposed to be interviewing.
Listen, I like asking questions.
I'm so curious about you too.
But it's okay, you can ask memore questions.
I'm here.
It'S okay.
(27:10):
And on you can.
You can ask.
Also, like, I'm always happyto share.
I feel like you never reallyknow how the conversations go.
You know, I'm curious aboutwhat has your experience been like,
running your studio?
It's a year old in the Twin Cities.
I know you've talked about howbeing an artist here has been good
so far, but running a studiois a different ballgame entirely.
(27:32):
So how has that been also?
That's very true.
Very different from making theart, from running the business to
make the art.
I've learned a lot about spreadsheets.
I feel like I've learned a lotabout the business end as well.
There is still a lot for me tolearn and I luckily have people around
me who I feel like candefinitely provide insight too.
(27:53):
But I feel like there.
I feel like there's a lot ofpossibility in the cities, and I
also feel like there are somevery large boots as well.
Not that, you know, I have tofill anybody else's.
I can try to make my own.
But there are a lot of peoplethat I really look up to around in
the Twin Cities of how theystarted their studio.
So I think I'm still figuringout what type of studio this is.
(28:14):
Is this an independent onewhere, you know, you're the sole
artist, or is this a studiolike the Bureau or Juxta is not,
of course a studio, but I feellike it has studio S components.
But yeah, I feel like I'mreally exploring it is.
It's young, she's new.
And I also wanted to totallytell you the story too behind why
I named it this.
(28:35):
My nickname.
Like, so my full name is Dalali.
And then my sister alwayscalls me Dell and my parents are
like, don't shorten her name.
It's so short.
Why are you shortening it?
But anyway, Dell and then AKUis my middle name.
So that means also born on a Wednesday.
So I wasn't sure if you havethat at all.
And like your culture.
So everyone like, is whateverday that they're born, that's their
(28:55):
middle name.
So like, my sister is afi Ithink that's Friday.
But anyway, so I was like, I'mgoing to combine these two parts
of my name.
Yeah.
Just to really start the studio.
And we're still figuring it out.
We're still exploring.
So we got some rapid firequestions to get to know you.
Just a fun.
A couple of fun things on our list.
So I'm going to go ahead and start.
(29:17):
What are the top three songson your playlist right now?
I'm so ready.
It is number one.
Did you even care?
By Dreamer, Isamoa, amazingartist Heart Part 6, Kendrick Lamar
and Cut up by Sailor.
These are on repeat, so shoutout to that.
Those are really goodselections too.
CM thank you.
(29:37):
Okay, cool.
What is your favorite food?
It is spicy miso ramen.
That is my absolute favorite food.
If you have a good ramen,please let me know because I'm still
trying to find some in theMidwest here.
I went to.
I did have ramen at EastStreet Crossing and I liked it.
Okay.
Now, I don't know if that isthe standard for ramen, but I really
(30:01):
enjoyed it there.
So maybe you can try out theramen spot over there.
Okay.
Okay.
I think I've tried it before.
I think I have a very highstandard for ramen from the East
Coast.
I'm like, I want it to be fresh.
No shade.
No shade.
You see?
You see?
Okay, cool.
What is your favorite spot inthe Twin Cities in general?
(30:21):
This is like rip But Stepchild.
Stepchild is such a good blackowned restaurant.
Delicious food, great vibes.
But they're closing in August,so I gotta get all my things in.
Yeah.
Damn.
So y' all go to Stepchildbefore they close.
I've not been there before, soI'll definitely go check that out
too as well.
Yes, please go check it out.
(30:43):
Yeah.
Who are the artists you'reinspired by?
Okay.
I'm super inspired by Deborah Roberts.
She's a really amazing collage artist.
She was actually at the MIA show.
But also, I'm not trying tolike go too too long, am I?
Do you want me to answer them?
Much more short.
I'm kind of rambling a little bit.
Do you answer as you can?
Answer as you can.
Okay.
(31:03):
Okay.
I love the.
I love her so, so much becauseshe really also thinks about the
unseen versus seen.
And so she makes collageartwork about black children.
And her work is just stunning.
And then one more person I'malso inspired by.
Inspired by is Akeem Salman.
He's a harpist andinterdisciplinary artist as well,
(31:23):
and director.
And he really does like postcolonial storytelling with his artwork.
And it's just beautiful.
Awesome.
Okay, cool.
And finally, what is yourfavorite holiday destination?
It can be somewhere you'vebeen to or somewhere in your hope
or somewhere to.
Hold.
I told my girlfriend, I wasjust like, I want to see an island
(31:45):
before the end of the year.
But right.
Usually it's anywhere with the ocean.
So anywhere there's a coast,it's pretty, there's sand and good
sun.
That is where I really want to be.
Okay, shout out to that.
Thank you for answering thoseand for the recommendations also.
Yes, I'm sure it'll be veryhelpful as we wrap up.
(32:07):
What's next for yourartistically and what stories are
you dreaming of telling next?
Let's see, what's that?
For me, artistically, I aminterested in actually exploring
more of what it's like to dobranding work for different companies
and individuals that I reallyam excited by.
And their mission intrigues me.
So I really actually want tobuild out more of my portfolio around
(32:29):
branding and that area.
I still want to create someartwork though, for shows and yeah,
my pieces for sale.
But you know, if it doesn'tsell, that's okay because then I
can submit it to other places too.
So just trying to get myartwork more out there and also show
it for other artists as welland be present because that's important
too.
Awesome.
Awesome.
(32:50):
And thank you for coming.
And I'm gonna just run throughthis again for the folks listening.
For you folks who are in theTwin Cities area, Dalali is a part
of the Afrocentric EclecticArt Exhibition.
They'll be unveiling a brandnew piece of artwork at the show,
so please go check that out.
(33:11):
The exhibition showcasesdifferent, you know, artistic mediums
and shows the diversity of,you know, the black experience.
So please go check it out.
The Lally will be at the openreception Saturday, July 5 from 5
to 9pm at Fox Studios in St.
Paul and there's an artisttalk on July 11 from 68 at the same
(33:35):
Fox Studios in St.
Paul on the third floor in St.
Paul.
And the gallery will be openwith the exhibition from July 2 to
July 19.
So Twin Cities folks, artlovers, please show up and support
Black art.
Thank you so much Harry.
I have loved this conversationwith you and I'm so excited to see
(33:57):
you at the opening or theartist talk either.
I'm so excited and thank youso much for promoting letting me
be here and just talk to you.
I really enjoyed it.
Of course, no problem at all.
It was my pleasure.
Thank you so much for listening.
Till the next episode.
Odejoma.
Hi, my name is Harry andwelcome to Odejuma.
Odejuma recognizes the magicof storytelling.
From personal experiences tostories of adventure, from tales
of resilience to finding joyin the simple things, this story
seeks to inspire, entertain,and educate.
Because there is power in thestories of everyday people.
(00:21):
And these stories are worth telling.
Hey, y' all.
Welcome to another episode of Odejuma.
I'm really excited abouttoday's episode.
Cause I have Delali with me.
(00:41):
Delali is a Minneapolis basedmultimedia artist and also the founder
of the Del AKU studio.
So.
Hey, Dalali, how are you?
Hey.
I'm so excited to be here today.
Thank you so much for havingme on your amazing podcast.
Really happy to talk today.
Yeah, I'm super, I'm superexcited to talk with you about your
(01:01):
art, which I think is beautiful.
Like, I think that the thingsthat you create are so beautiful
and, you know, people have tobe talking about your work.
So I'm very excited to dive into this conversation and also talk
about the exhibition thatyou're a part of that's going to
be showing in St.
Paul.
So I'm so excited to just,like, dive right in.
(01:24):
But before we go, before we goany further, I want to, like, know,
like, take us back to the verybeginning of how did you get into
art?
What was growing up like for you?
And when did you realize that,you know, you just loved art space?
Yeah, great question.
So for some context, I'm fromcentral Pennsylvania, so really,
(01:45):
really different than righthere in Minnesota.
But what I really realizedgrowing up around me.
So I'm from a smaller kind ofrural college town in Pennsylvania,
so right between Philly and Pittsburgh.
So it's like a equidistancebetween the two.
And I grew up in a lot offarmland and also around a lot of,
(02:05):
like, academia.
So it was like thisinteresting contrast.
My dad is a professor, mymom's a teacher, and I have one older
sister.
And we were very likeoutdoorsy kids.
We were always being taughtto, like, go outside and make your
own games and play outsideand, you know, all that kind of thing,
ride your bikes.
So I got a lot of exposurejust realizing what I liked by being
(02:28):
outside and through exploration.
And my parents were veryencouraging of us getting into like,
the arts or following thingsthat we really were excited about.
And from a young age, I wasactually really obsessed with jazz.
And so I'd be listening tolike, you know, Duke Ellington and
Miles Davis and all of the greats.
And I got into playing jazz piano.
(02:48):
So that was Actually the firstart form that I feel like I got really
into and really excited by.
But yeah, I've been making artfor my whole life.
All different mediums.
Ceramics, visual, danced for along time.
I landed on the visual arts though.
So we are here and we've arrived.
It's very interesting.
You talk about how you'veexplored different forms of like,
(03:09):
art, from the visual to theperforming, but now you settle on
visual.
And what is it about visualthat has made you be like, okay,
this is where I want to beright now?
Yeah, for me, I really likethe visual arts because one, I'm
just a very visual person.
Like, that is kind of how Ilearn and how I absorb information
really well.
(03:29):
Although there are so manyways to learn, just visual has always
been like the most influentialfor me and the way I feel like I
can express myself the most alot of times also it was about access
too.
So I was in art school andthen also finished a degree in communication.
That's kind of this long paththat I took to get where I am today.
But visual communication andaudio communication have been really
(03:53):
crucial to shaping how I make art.
So that's kind of why I reallylike to do it, is because seeing
is so universal and that's howI get really influenced as well.
That's pretty cool to know.
And I, and I was reading, youknow, about your work and you talk
about how growing up in amixed race household and you know,
how we had you questioningyour place in the black diaspora.
(04:16):
And I know you talked about,you know, being raised by your dad
a professor, your mom a teacher.
How has that, all of that, howhas that shaped you?
And can you talk a little bitabout that?
Yeah, definitely.
So my dad is Ghanaian and mymom is white.
So very mixed race householdand culturally really mixed as well.
You know, also as a fellowimmigrant, black and immigrant sometimes
(04:40):
always are not thought of aslike the same thing.
So that was really what washappening in my house, which is the
African Ghanaian side was likeran hard and so did the white.
But I as like, you know, firstgen was really perceived as a black
person and a black woman.
So no one really prepped mefor what that was going to be like.
So I was really searchingthroughout my entire life, I still
(05:02):
am, for where I feel like Ican tap into and where I see representation
of myself in the black community.
So it was really kind ofactually just through jazz and random
pieces of artwork that Istarted to see more of myself.
And so that was actually oneof the reasons I started to make
art was because I.
I wanted to have control overa story that I felt like many didn't
(05:26):
quite know how to likedescribe or tell or was misconstrued
about being mixed.
And mine was so different.
So I wanted to actually likeput words to it, put visuals to it.
So that's a little bit moreabout how I make art and why I do
it from my background, if thatmakes sense.
Yeah.
And I feel like there isalways a lot to pull when you have
like two different like experiences.
(05:48):
You actually even like, youhave your.
Your dad has his experience asa black immigrant in America, your
mom has experiences as awhite, and then they have their experience
as, you know, a couple andraising mixed race children who are
perceived as black.
I feel like everything is alearning call for your family.
(06:09):
Yeah.
And so like, what looking backat like growing up, up until where
you are now, are there likeany lessons you feel like you've
picked up and has shaped whoyou are now in how you move through
the world?
That's a.
Yeah, great question.
I feel like for me it wasabout realizing what felt like home
(06:30):
and authenticity for me andsomething I learned and would like
to probably like, tell like ayounger version of myself is that
what feels comfortable, whatfeels welcoming, what feels loving,
is black is beautiful.
That can sound a littlecliche, but there are many moments
where I was told who I wasmore than felt who I was.
(06:53):
And there's this, you know,fracturing of identity in the.
In many racial spaces.
But I feel like it's verycommon in the white and black space
for kids.
So that was kind of reallyhard to work through as a child and
like young teen.
So I'd say it's not that youare black and white or white, it's
just kind of like you are bothand you can sit in both the worlds,
(07:17):
but there's just a lot of lovein the black spaces and white spaces.
But I felt really, reallyloved when I started to know more
of who I was.
So I guess the last one wouldbe like, go where home feels like
for you, even if it's notnecessarily in your own home.
Go to the places that alsofeel like home too.
You talk about how art hasbeen a liberating force, you know,
(07:38):
and helping you recenter yourqueer experience.
Can you talk a little bitabout that and what that has been
like for you?
Definitely for me, it wasseeing other queer artists and other
black artists and just otherPOC artists create art that made
me feel really free and mademe Feel challenged and expressed
(08:00):
and seen.
I think a lot of what I wasdoing growing up was trying to fit
in, you know, awkwardteenagers and trying to figure out
where they are in the world.
And it's still a process and asearch, but for me, it was about
seeing other people be more ofwho they were and giving me that
permission through art to alsodo the same.
So through my artwork, Ireally try and focus on complex parts
(08:24):
of my identity that feelchallenging to access in other ways.
So a lot of it is about, like,how do I tell a story that necessarily
doesn't need to be writtenabout, but needs to be, like, gotten
out, so instead of spoken,just expressed in a different medium
and really just to be free.
But also, I'm curious about you.
(08:45):
You're in the arts.
You are everywhere.
What, what has art been likefor you?
How do you relate to art forms?
And what is something that youreally gravitate towards?
That's a very interesting question.
And I think that for me, withlike, art, art has always been escapism
from me.
For me, right, it's been like,oh, this is a reality that is somewhat
(09:07):
better than my current reality.
And I can escape into.
I can go into the mind of theartist and be there and learn and
look at the world throughtheir eyes.
And so whether performing artslike the theater or with music, or
we dance, or if it's likevisual art forms, if it's a painting
or a sculpture, I'm alwayslooking to what is the artist trying
(09:30):
to say?
And that has expanded my mind.
It has given me empathy in aways that I never thought I would
have, which is low key.
Why I don't really relate toabstract art.
No offense to folks who makeabstract art.
I think that it's a beautiful.
I think abstract art is beautiful.
I feel like it's beautiful tolook at, but like, I engage with
art that I can understand alittle bit easy.
(09:54):
I, I, like I said, it's a formof escapism for me.
And so, yeah, I think that'show I look at it.
And I feel like I havediscovered pieces of myself through
being in art spaces, which iswhy I really love.
Art spaces.
You know, and it's almost likeI feel like I can do more.
(10:15):
I always leave, I always leavean 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, Ican do more.
I can be more, you know.
And so, yeah, I hope that.
No, that really did because Iwas curious to know how you relate
(10:37):
to the arts.
And I feel like what I'mhearing you describe is, like, it's
escapism, but also gives you,in a form, permission to live more
and just express and be moreof who you are.
That's beautiful.
Because, Harry, I be seeingyou outside.
I see you at the wonderful exhibitions.
I feel like I'm alwayscrossing paths with you at art events,
which is lovely.
(10:57):
Yeah, yeah.
I think the last.
I think the last art event wasthe Giants event.
I think that's where.
Yes, that's where I see you.
Yeah.
At the mia.
But I wanted to also answeranother question that you had posed,
too, which was like, what kindof, like, what in my environment
made me want to, like, makeart, especially around, like, Afrofuturism.
(11:20):
Because Afrofuturism is reallya theme that goes throughout my artwork.
And it was actually alsoescapism as well.
I really liked reading as akid and, like, listening to books
and, like, audiobooks.
Do you remember those old,like, over the ear headphones and,
like, the little walk?
Yeah.
Yeah.
So I was always listening to those.
(11:42):
And I was very into, like, scifi and afrofuturistic stories.
So, you know, all the greatswas listening to them.
So I realized I was like,okay, Afrofuturism is not just, like,
about, you know, the futureand, like, where we're gonna go,
but it's, like, the actual actof, like, black people envisioning
(12:03):
themselves and being thearchitects of, like, their futures
and also, like, their present moments.
And so I thought it was reallyinteresting that you're also talking
about how art is an escape,because I really relate to that,
too.
Yeah, yeah.
Talk about Afrofuturism, like,because we're already here now.
How is it, like, very evidentin your work, like, how do you use
(12:25):
the elements in your.
In your artistic practice?
Yeah, yeah, definitely.
So, like, I think that for me,a huge part of the, like, the question
I'm trying to answer formyself is like, okay, so you're not
this, like, fracture of identity.
You're like a multitude.
So you're complex.
You're.
You have depth.
(12:46):
What is that depth?
And also what is the complexity?
And what are some tensions Ihold within myself?
So a lot of the times I feellike with my artwork, I use Afrofuturism
to look at myself and think,okay, so you are a whole person.
But what have you not dared todream about?
What parts of your idea,identity, have you felt like you
haven't owned that can be yours?
(13:06):
Because I think afrofuturismis A taking back of power.
It is a process of reclamationas well.
So, for instance, this piecethat I made for this upcoming exhibition
is a self portrait.
And it really.
I used, like, cultural touchpoints in my family home growing
up to think about the conceptof masks.
(13:29):
And I'm sorry, I know we have,like, a thing we're doing, but I'm,
like, excited to talk about.
Okay, yeah, sure, go ahead, share.
Okay.
So when we're thinking aboutthe concepts of masks, I was fascinated
by this.
My dad would go home to Ghanaevery couple of years or so and,
you know, bring back differentpieces and cloth.
(13:51):
And his.
One of his tooth cases isalways just dedicated to, like, cloth.
My mom loved to sew it as aseamstress, so she'd be sewing us
dresses and whatever it was, curtains.
So I was, like, always seeingthese pieces of, like, my culture
and identity brought into thehouse, but didn't quite always know
how to interact with them.
(14:12):
So we had, like, masks hangingon the walls and a lot of, like,
I love gold jewelry andobsessed with that, you know.
So, like, Ghana is one of themain places on the west coast that
is a, you know, place wheremining happens too.
So I.
I just was really interestedin thinking about.
Okay, so I love the idea ofmasks, but also, like, what masks
(14:32):
do.
I feel like I wear as a personwho was mixed, who is queer to fit
into different spaces, andthen what of it do I want to own?
So, like, how can masksinstead be like this thing that is
meant to hide our identities?
What could I build a mask ofmy identities instead?
So kind of flipping the ideaof what masks are.
(14:54):
So, like, for the piece I madeof my self portrait, it is lots of
layered photos of me indifferent parts of my face, but also
layered in with, like, wooden.
A wood, a piece of a woodenmask, gold that I lifted, the patterns
that I drew.
Like, I would see my mom'sfabric that she'd sew with and.
Yeah, just really thinkingabout how I could make my own mask
(15:14):
of my own identity.
That is pretty amazing.
And I mean, which leads us to,you know, the exhibition.
It's titled AfrocentricEclectic Exploring Black Diasporic
Identities.
So tell me about that.
I know you've talked about thecreative process a little bit more,
but can you go into, first ofall, like, how you found out about
(15:35):
the exhibition?
You know, just the backgroundoverview and also what you're most
excited about people seeingfrom the exhibition.
Yeah, I'd be happy to shoutout to Regine, the queen.
They are amazing artist andcommunity organizer and arts educator
here in the Twin Cities.
They're holding it down in St.
Paul, but they really wantedto create a exhibition that featured
(16:01):
a diverse collection of blackartists and black stories and narratives.
It's something that reallydrew me to apply to the show was
the idea of revealing theunseen and the complexity of black
identity.
So I started my company in2024, and I was getting more commission
(16:22):
work, interest in what I was doing.
And I really wanted to create,like, an official place where people
could know me and come to meand work with me.
So part of my intention forstarting it too, was to create a
place for black, queer, bipocpeople to express themselves, painting,
be supported, and also formyself, too.
And so in a very roundaboutway, I was drawn to this because
(16:45):
I also am really in thisprocess of trying to reveal the unseen
and the things that we thinkare locked in about black identity
and things that we think weknow about black identity, other
black people think that theyknow are a sure thing.
But there's so much more andthere's so much more depth.
And so that's why I was like,I want to be a part of this show.
(17:07):
Had.
I'm a new artist, I'm young,so I'm just starting out.
And I'd applied to othergalleries and exhibitions and gotten
rejections, but this was theplace where I was like, I really
want to make this one count.
So I made the piece for it, Iwrote about it, and so I'm one of
25 plus artists who are goingto have different mediums of work
being shown for the month ofJuly in St.
(17:28):
Paul at Folk Studios.
So I am really excited to evenjust see the other work that is there
and just.
I got one piece in it, so I'mvery happy about that.
Yeah.
And it's a big deal.
It's.
It is a big deal.
And I'm excited for you,excited that you're gonna be a part
of that exhibition.
For folks who are curiousabout wanting to check it out, it's
(17:49):
at the Folk Studios.
It's in St.
Paul.
I would see if I can put thedescription and the.
And the link in thedescription for folks to check it
out, possibly your Instagram,so they can go there and look and
find it.
But yeah, there's an openingreception on July 5th, and then there
is an artist talk on July 11th.
And so if you're in the TwinCities, please go check it out.
(18:12):
It's always a good time to gosupport black art.
Thank you, Harry.
You shouted it out so hard.
Thank you, all the teachers.
Yeah, for sure, for sure.
I'm really excited to see, youknow, Yo Peace and all the other
incredible artists who aregoing to be showing their work showcasing
like, black excellence andblack, you know, the beauty of the
(18:33):
black experience too.
So I'm excited about that.
I have a curiosity about.
Because you obviously aren'tfrom the Twin Cities.
You moved here.
What is it like?
What has your experience beenas a new artist trying to make it
in the Twin Cities?
What has that been like for you?
Let's see, what has it beenlike for me?
(18:53):
I think that I've noticed someinteresting patterns too, in the
Twin Cities.
There is a.
It is a small, big city in thesense that the people that you want
to talk to usually are, youknow, 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.
And there are different typesof groups here as well.
(19:17):
One thing I really like aboutthe Twin Cities is that there are
different types of smallerstudios that do engage artists on
lots of different levels.
And there's just a lot to doart related here.
Like, I remember when I wasgetting ready to move here, everyone
kept on saying, oh, you'regoing to love the art scene.
It's like, so.
It's so.
It's so on.
And I think it's going in agreat direction too.
(19:37):
But I think that for me, Ifound people who are excited to invest
in young creatives, me beingone of them.
And I'm really grateful forthe mentors and the people that I've
met here who are willing togive me a chance and also just see
my worth and are interested incollaborating together.
I can't express how much Ivalue that year.
(19:58):
Yeah, I think that the.
The arts in here is so richand it's so diverse and it's just
bustling, you know, I thinkthat's what I love the most about,
you know, living here.
It's just the art.
The art is just beautiful tosee, and I'm glad that it is, you
know, working for you and itis like speaking for you.
Also, I have a littlecuriosity again about.
(20:22):
Cause from all you've beensaying, your art seems very personal.
So how do you balance how muchyou're sharing with the folks who
are going to be engaging withthe arts and how much are you keeping
to yourself?
What does that dance look likefor you?
It definitely is a dance.
I think that it is somethingI'm still figuring out to be really
(20:43):
honest.
So much of the artwork I ammaking is telling a personal story
or coming from a place ofvulnerable emotions.
So I think it really is justabout practicing it for me.
And, yeah, just knowing whensomething just feels too raw, too
personal to share is somethingthat I'm working through.
But I was actually at aconference, the State of Black Design
(21:06):
at mcad.
And it was really amazingbecause I heard on a panel, you know,
someone was really justfeeling emotions and the facilitator
said, share safely.
And I had never really kind ofheard that we always say safe space,
which I'm just like, okay,only therapy is in a safe space,
I feel like.
But she just said, share safely.
And that really stuck with me.
So that's something I thinkI'm going to try to practice going
(21:27):
forward in the spaces that I'mgoing to be talking about my art
as well.
That's a really good question.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And I'm also going to.
I'm also going to take that safely.
Yeah.
Because I feel like that issomething that, as creatives, you
know, sometimes you neverreally figure out what line we are
on, whether we are saying somuch or doing so much or saying not
(21:49):
enough, you know, and so,yeah, I love.
I love Run.
Run with it.
It's yours now.
Harry.
Yeah.
I'm curious if you're workingas exhibition could speak, what do
you think it would say to youryounger self or someone who is questioning
their place in the diaspora?
I think that I would.
The piece is definitely sayingyou are not too much like the feelings.
(22:12):
You feel valid, what you'regoing through challenging and confusing.
And there is beauty in that.
But you aren't too much.
And the things that maybe feeltoo raw maybe don't feel very like
you don't have necessarily an outlet.
You'll find them, they will come.
And yeah, you'll never be too much.
What are some words or whatwas like an experience that you had
(22:34):
at an art place or evensomewhere else that you.
Your child self, little Harry,needed to hear.
What was something that youconnected with recently?
That is a good question.
Nothing that I can think ofright off the top of my head.
I've seen a couple of playsthat have really stuck with me.
(22:54):
I talk about it in the episode.
In the most recent episode ofOdejuma, I speak to an actor and
we were talking about Jaja'sAfrican hair braiding, like a play
set in a hair braiding shop inHarlem, and how it was a very timely
(23:16):
piece.
So I connected to that assomeone who is an immigrant in America.
And then last year, I saw.
I don't know if it's.
I don't.
I don't know if it's a.
Or if it is a.
Because it was.
Was like a.
It wasn't a musical, but itwasn't a.
It was a play that had music.
You know, it had some folkmusic with drums.
(23:37):
It was very intimate then.
So the.
The.
But.
The.
But the play was about.
And I talk about it also in myepisode on grief with my sisters.
It was the play I was watchingwhen my.
When my dad passed.
And the characters on the playand my life were kind of, like, very
similar.
And so it was like.
It was a very surrealexperience that I was having.
(23:59):
And I was like, May.
Last.
May of last year.
And so those are, like,experiences that I've had, but those
who have been performing arts.
I know that.
Wait, wait.
That what you just shared was,like, so.
So important and so moving.
Okay, wait, so you werewatching the play, and it sounds
(24:20):
like it was really moving.
At the same time, were you.
You were getting the news thatyour father had.
I got the news after I saw the play.
So, yeah.
And the play reminded me of myfather and my relationship with my
father, and not just with mydad, with my parents in general as
someone.
Because it was about, like, aHaitian migrant and his first gen
son who was gay and how theywould be estranged.
(24:41):
And so after seeing that play,you know, I got the news that my
dad had passed.
And even though while I waswatching the play, I was very emotional
and it felt like someone wasconsoling me in the play.
So I do feel like, you know,he came to find me before he, you
know, when he passed.
Thank you.
Which is very.
Yeah.
Thank you for even sharing that.
(25:02):
That.
That's.
I think that is beautiful.
And that he came to you.
It sounds like you also reallyconnect with the performing arts
and theater.
I do, I do.
But also, I think it was in Philly.
I don't know if it's in Philly or.
I think it was in Philly.
I went to.
I went to a gallery.
It's like a gallery for, like,African American art.
And they had an exhibition.
(25:23):
I don't really.
It's very fuzzy to me, whichis why I cannot really say, but it
was a piece of art in thatexhibition that really struck me.
And it was by Nigerian.
Nigerian artists.
I forgot it.
I've forgotten their name, butI know I Googled them, you know,
and I think followed them onInstagram afterwards.
That was Such a moving piece.
But yeah, that was last yearalso in Philly.
(25:45):
So, yeah, I do.
I do connect to different mediums.
I know I went to LA and I saw.
But I'm spacing out on these,on the artist's listen.
But that's so.
I was gonna say, but that's soreal because sometimes we unfortunately,
sometimes in moments, weforget the name of the artist, but
we don't remember how it madeus feel.
But sorry, you were about tosay in la.
(26:05):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I saw.
I went to an exhibition too,that I thought was really beautiful.
And if the exhibition feltvery 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 invery vulnerable positions and expressions.
(26:29):
And I thought, you know, Ijust could connect, you know, because
I feel like over the pastyear, I've been.
I've been in a state ofvulnerability just with how I'm moving,
with how I'm, you know, tryingto move into this new iteration of
self, even with, like,creating this, you know, podcast
and everything.
And so I'm so happy that youcreated this.
(26:49):
Right.
Because you stepped away frompodcasting for a time, but you have
returned and I'm so glad thatyou have.
Yeah.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
I really appreciate you.
Look at your interviewing mewhen I'm supposed to be interviewing.
Listen, I like asking questions.
I'm so curious about you too.
But it's okay, you can ask memore questions.
I'm here.
It'S okay.
(27:10):
And on you can.
You can ask.
Also, like, I'm always happyto share.
I feel like you never reallyknow how the conversations go.
You know, I'm curious aboutwhat has your experience been like,
running your studio?
It's a year old in the Twin Cities.
I know you've talked about howbeing an artist here has been good
so far, but running a studiois a different ballgame entirely.
(27:32):
So how has that been also?
That's very true.
Very different from making theart, from running the business to
make the art.
I've learned a lot about spreadsheets.
I feel like I've learned a lotabout the business end as well.
There is still a lot for me tolearn and I luckily have people around
me who I feel like candefinitely provide insight too.
(27:53):
But I feel like there.
I feel like there's a lot ofpossibility in the cities, and I
also feel like there are somevery large boots as well.
Not that, you know, I have tofill anybody else's.
I can try to make my own.
But there are a lot of peoplethat I really look up to around in
the Twin Cities of how theystarted their studio.
So I think I'm still figuringout what type of studio this is.
(28:14):
Is this an independent onewhere, you know, you're the sole
artist, or is this a studiolike the Bureau or Juxta is not,
of course a studio, but I feellike it has studio S components.
But yeah, I feel like I'mreally exploring it is.
It's young, she's new.
And I also wanted to totallytell you the story too behind why
I named it this.
(28:35):
My nickname.
Like, so my full name is Dalali.
And then my sister alwayscalls me Dell and my parents are
like, don't shorten her name.
It's so short.
Why are you shortening it?
But anyway, Dell and then AKUis my middle name.
So that means also born on a Wednesday.
So I wasn't sure if you havethat at all.
And like your culture.
So everyone like, is whateverday that they're born, that's their
(28:55):
middle name.
So like, my sister is afi Ithink that's Friday.
But anyway, so I was like, I'mgoing to combine these two parts
of my name.
Yeah.
Just to really start the studio.
And we're still figuring it out.
We're still exploring.
So we got some rapid firequestions to get to know you.
Just a fun.
A couple of fun things on our list.
So I'm going to go ahead and start.
(29:17):
What are the top three songson your playlist right now?
I'm so ready.
It is number one.
Did you even care?
By Dreamer, Isamoa, amazingartist Heart Part 6, Kendrick Lamar
and Cut up by Sailor.
These are on repeat, so shoutout to that.
Those are really goodselections too.
CM thank you.
(29:37):
Okay, cool.
What is your favorite food?
It is spicy miso ramen.
That is my absolute favorite food.
If you have a good ramen,please let me know because I'm still
trying to find some in theMidwest here.
I went to.
I did have ramen at EastStreet Crossing and I liked it.
Okay.
Now, I don't know if that isthe standard for ramen, but I really
(30:01):
enjoyed it there.
So maybe you can try out theramen spot over there.
Okay.
Okay.
I think I've tried it before.
I think I have a very highstandard for ramen from the East
Coast.
I'm like, I want it to be fresh.
No shade.
No shade.
You see?
You see?
Okay, cool.
What is your favorite spot inthe Twin Cities in general?
(30:21):
This is like rip But Stepchild.
Stepchild is such a good blackowned restaurant.
Delicious food, great vibes.
But they're closing in August,so I gotta get all my things in.
Yeah.
Damn.
So y' all go to Stepchildbefore they close.
I've not been there before, soI'll definitely go check that out
too as well.
Yes, please go check it out.
(30:43):
Yeah.
Who are the artists you'reinspired by?
Okay.
I'm super inspired by Deborah Roberts.
She's a really amazing collage artist.
She was actually at the MIA show.
But also, I'm not trying tolike go too too long, am I?
Do you want me to answer them?
Much more short.
I'm kind of rambling a little bit.
Do you answer as you can?
Answer as you can.
Okay.
(31:03):
Okay.
I love the.
I love her so, so much becauseshe really also thinks about the
unseen versus seen.
And so she makes collageartwork about black children.
And her work is just stunning.
And then one more person I'malso inspired by.
Inspired by is Akeem Salman.
He's a harpist andinterdisciplinary artist as well,
(31:23):
and director.
And he really does like postcolonial storytelling with his artwork.
And it's just beautiful.
Awesome.
Okay, cool.
And finally, what is yourfavorite holiday destination?
It can be somewhere you'vebeen to or somewhere in your hope
or somewhere to.
Hold.
I told my girlfriend, I wasjust like, I want to see an island
(31:45):
before the end of the year.
But right.
Usually it's anywhere with the ocean.
So anywhere there's a coast,it's pretty, there's sand and good
sun.
That is where I really want to be.
Okay, shout out to that.
Thank you for answering thoseand for the recommendations also.
Yes, I'm sure it'll be veryhelpful as we wrap up.
(32:07):
What's next for yourartistically and what stories are
you dreaming of telling next?
Let's see, what's that?
For me, artistically, I aminterested in actually exploring
more of what it's like to dobranding work for different companies
and individuals that I reallyam excited by.
And their mission intrigues me.
So I really actually want tobuild out more of my portfolio around
(32:29):
branding and that area.
I still want to create someartwork though, for shows and yeah,
my pieces for sale.
But you know, if it doesn'tsell, that's okay because then I
can submit it to other places too.
So just trying to get myartwork more out there and also show
it for other artists as welland be present because that's important
too.
Awesome.
Awesome.
(32:50):
And thank you for coming.
And I'm gonna just run throughthis again for the folks listening.
For you folks who are in theTwin Cities area, Dalali is a part
of the Afrocentric EclecticArt Exhibition.
They'll be unveiling a brandnew piece of artwork at the show,
so please go check that out.
(33:11):
The exhibition showcasesdifferent, you know, artistic mediums
and shows the diversity of,you know, the black experience.
So please go check it out.
The Lally will be at the openreception Saturday, July 5 from 5
to 9pm at Fox Studios in St.
Paul and there's an artisttalk on July 11 from 68 at the same
(33:35):
Fox Studios in St.
Paul on the third floor in St.
Paul.
And the gallery will be openwith the exhibition from July 2 to
July 19.
So Twin Cities folks, artlovers, please show up and support
Black art.
Thank you so much Harry.
I have loved this conversationwith you and I'm so excited to see
(33:57):
you at the opening or theartist talk either.
I'm so excited and thank youso much for promoting letting me
be here and just talk to you.
I really enjoyed it.
Of course, no problem at all.
It was my pleasure.
Thank you so much for listening.
Till the next episode.
Odejoma.
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