The Art of It All

Allison Janae Hamilton is an artist and filmmaker whose newest short film, Venus of Ossabaw, premiered this March at Telfair Museums' Jepson Center in Savannah. Allison is widely known for her immersive, land-centered practice that treats landscape not as backdrop, but as a central protagonist shaped by memory, labor, myth and climate. Across sculpture, photography and multi-channel film, her work traces the social and environmental histories embedded in the American South, particularly as they relate to Black life and womanhood. Her visual language is informed by her powerful ability to weave ancestral narratives with urgent contemporary questions of climate and justice. Venus of Ossabaw marks a significant evolution in Hamilton's practice. The newly commissioned film centers on the history of marronage—the formation of self-sustaining communities by people who escaped enslavement—through the fictional figure of Venus, who journeys across Ossabaw Island and neighboring Sea Islands off the Georgia coast. Learn more about Allison Janae Hamilton here. Follow Allison on Instagram here. Follow the show on IG at @theartofitallshow and follow the host at @dariasimoneharper! Don't forget to rate, review, and subscribe. Sharing an episode with a friend never hurts either;)

For the latest episode of the show, I have the honor of speaking with artist Kameelah Janan Rasheed on the occasion of her inclusion in Data Consciousness: Reframing Blackness in Contemporary Print, on view at Print Center New York through December 20, 2025. Kameelah Janan Rasheed is a learner and death doula in training. Her middle name, Janan, comes from the Arabic trilateral root (J-N-N / جنان), evoking that which is unmoored, veiled, and unsanctioned. Accordingly, Rasheed explores the relationship between language, mysticism, and disobedience. She examines the materiality of wayward language - acrobatic (Clarice Lispector) sentences with trap doors (Fred Moten), runaway syllables that scatter to the marooned edges of a page, words that escape the orbit of its mother sentence, footnotes that consume their reference, and utterances that dissipate before being recorded. She also explores the materiality of reading, centering spiritual practices where reading happens through touch and digestion, rather than solely looking. A "language person" (Paul Soulellis), she "gives language a body" (Chang Yuchen) through her large-scale installations, multichannel video works, publications, software, performance, public archives, and learning platforms. Read full bio here.   This episode was originally published exclusively on Patreon on December 11, 2025. Follow the show on IG at @theartofitallshow and follow the host at @dariasimoneharper! Don't forget to rate, review, and subscribe. Sharing an episode with a friend never hurts either;)

Ella Josephine Julia Moore is a multi-disciplinary artist whose practices uses participatory art, music composition, instrument-making, bandleading, installation and fabric arts. Under the alias Cleo Reed, they complete musical projects that are rooted in their ancestral & cultural lineage. They work toward a future that enables them to realize intentional creative endeavors and encourage joy within collaborative spaces such as museums, theaters, and unseen spaces. In their practice, they are currently drawn to notions of tradition, dissolving the binary, making noise, and breaking the barrier between artist and audience. Reed's sophomore LP, CUNTRY, is a sprawling folk-electronic offering exploring the rage that comes with grappling with the grips of labor — both on the body and in the American workplace. The album is just the beginning of the story — introducing a young, visionary artist with a singular voice and an unwavering commitment to honoring those that came before while subverting the status quo. This episode was recorded on July 22, 2025 in Chicago, IL and originally published on Patreon on September 16, 2025. Follow the show on IG at @theartofitallshow and follow the host at @dariasimoneharper! Don't forget to rate, review, and subscribe. Sharing an episode with a friend never hurts either;)

On this week's episode, I had the joy of talking with writer Arisa White and visual artist Daniel Minter about their new public artworks, both of which were commissioned by Indigo Arts Alliance and the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens on the occasion of the Deconstructing the Boundaries: Tending to Communities symposium this summer. Daniel Minter is an acclaimed American artist, recognized primarily for his work in painting and assemblage, whose themes often focus on experiences of displacement and diaspora. Minter's creative journey is deeply informed by extensive travel across Africa and worldwide destinations of the African Diaspora. Minter's work has been featured in and acquired by numerous esteemed institutions and galleries, including the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Portland Museum of Art, Seattle Art Museum, Charles H. Wright Museum, Bowdoin College Art Museum, Farnsworth Art Museum, The David C. Driskell Center, and more.Arisa White is an associate professor of English and Creative Writing at Colby College. She is the author of Who's Your Daddy, co-editor of Home Is Where You Queer Your Heart, and co-author of Biddy Mason Speaks Up, the second book in the Fighting for Justice Series for young readers. In collaboration with composer Jessica Jones, Post Pardon: The Opera is Arisa's librettist debut. Her poetry is widely published, and her collections have been nominated for an NAACP Image Award and a Lambda Literary Award, and have won the Per Diem Poetry Prize, the Maine Literary Award, the Nautilus Book Award, an Independent Publisher Book Award, and the Golden Crown Literary Award.  As the creator of the Beautiful Things Project, Arisa curates poetic collaborations that are rooted in Black queer women's ways of knowing. She is a Cave Canem fellow and serves on the Maine Writers & Publishers Alliance Community Advisory Board. White was a Mentorship Artist-in-Residence with Indigo Arts Alliance in 2022.To learn more about Indigo Arts Alliance, visit here.This episode was produced with support from Indigo Arts Alliance. Follow the show on IG at @theartofitallshow and follow the host at @dariasimoneharper! Don't forget to rate, review, and subscribe. Sharing an episode with a friend never hurts either;)

On this week's episode, I had the joy and honor of speaking with Jordia Benjamin, Executive Director of Indigo Arts Alliance, and Ashley Page, Studio and Program Manager at Indigo Arts Alliance, an arts organization working at the nexus of citizenship, community-building, and creativity.We discuss Indigo's upcoming symposium, Deconstructing the Boundaries: Tending to Communities, which will take place this Saturday, July 26th at the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens. Culminating a three year partnership between Indigo and the Gardens, this day of sensorial and participatory programs exemplifies Indigo's commitment to cultivating the development of Black and brown artists, especially those working around issues of environmental justice, preservation, and land. Stay tuned for the second part 2, where I'm joined by visual artist Daniel Minter and poet & artist Arisa White.Jordia Benjamin, Executive Director of Indigo Arts Alliance, has a passion for creating compelling programs and cultivating creative environments. She embodies a commitment to equity, inclusion, empowerment and advocacy for communities of color. Jordia leads the Indigo Arts Alliance's day-to-day operations. Her role ensures that the quality and global impact of IAA's activities and programs directly support its mission. A highly effective collaborator, manager, relationship builder, and communicator, she guides and refines the artist residency program, developing related programming that connects our local, national and international communities.Ashley Page is the Studio and Program Manager at Indigo Arts Alliance. She serves as a point of contact for artists and supports the development of related public programs and special projects to best connect artists and communities. In her role, she ensures the smooth operations of the studio and its administrative needs. As an interdisciplinary artist, community organizer, and social disruptor, Ashley's creative spirit, passion for community, and dedication to the artistic growth of artists of color is interwoven into her own artistic philosophy. Drawing from the power of vulnerability, collaborative honesty, and mutual understanding, her work creates the bridges between art and people.To learn more about Indigo Arts Alliance, visit here. Visit Deconstructing the Boundaries: Tending to Communities for more information about the symposium.This episode was produced with support from Indigo Arts Alliance. Follow the show on IG at @theartofitallshow and follow the host at @dariasimoneharper! Don't forget to rate, review, and subscribe. Sharing an episode with a friend never hurts either;)

On today's episode, I'm joined by Rashieda Witter, a cultural caretaker, art historian, curator, writer, and photographer currently based in Chicago. Rashieda is interested in the intersections between art museums, community, and social equity, and is invested in making art institutions more equitable and accessible for all.She is currently the Black Visual Arts Researcher at the Black Metropolis Research Consortium (BMRC). In addition to serving as an art history lecturer at the University of the Witwatersrand, Rashieda has held curatorial roles for the Stellenbosch Triennale, The Phillips Collection, and the National Gallery of Art. Follow Rashieda on Instagram at @_rashieda.Get involved with the Black Metropolis Research Consortium (BMRC) here. Follow the show on IG at @theartofitallshow and follow the host at @dariasimoneharper! Don't forget to rate, review, and subscribe. Sharing an episode with a friend never hurts either;)

This week I'm joined by Samora Pinderhughes, a composer, pianist, vocalist, filmmaker, and multidisciplinary artist known for striking intimacy and carefully crafted, radically honest lyrics alongside high-level musicianship. The New York Times describes Samora as “one of the most affecting singer-songwriters today, in any genre” that “turn(s) the experience of living in community inside-out, revealing all its personal detail and tension, and giving voice to registers of pain that are commonly shared but not often articulated.”Samora has collaborated with artists across boundaries and scenes including Common, Herbie Hancock, Glenn Ligon, Sara Bareilles, Robert Glasper, Simone Leigh, Daveed Diggs, Kyle Abraham, Titus Kaphar, and Lalah Hathaway, to name a few. He has been mentored by Anna Deavere Smith, Vijay Iyer, Jason Moran, and others.Samora is also the creator and executive & artistic director of The Healing Project, a growing arts organization that orients around the question: What if we built our world around healing?Follow Samora on Instagram at @samorapinderhughesFollow The Healing Project on Instagram at @healingprojectsoundClick here to listen to Am I Human? and to get involved with the #EndTheException campaign. Follow the show on IG at @theartofitallshow and follow the host at @dariasimoneharper! Don't forget to rate, review, and subscribe. Sharing an episode with a friend never hurts either;)

Welcome back to another episode of The Art of It All! This week I caught up with Djali Brown-Cepeda, a cultural preservationist and award-winning filmmaker from Lenapehoking (New York City), working within archival, film, and television spaces to preserve Black and Brown stories. As an Afro-Indígena Caribeña and Olorisa Yemayá (initiated priestess of the Lucumí tradition), her work is rooted in remembrance, reclamation, and rematriation, centering oral tradition and lived experiences as pathways toward cultural restoration. She is the founder of NuevaYorkinos, a digital archive and multimedia project documenting Latino and Caribbean New York City through family photographs, videos, and stories. Thanks for tuning in!  Follow Djali Brown-Cepeda on Instagram here and on Substack here.Follow NuevaYorkinas on Instagram and check out the website for more info on how to submit your story. This conversation was edited for length and clarity. Follow the show on IG at @theartofitallshow and follow the host at @dariasimoneharper! Don't forget to rate, review, and subscribe. Sharing an episode with a friend never hurts either;)

It's been a long time, I shouldn't have left you…without a dope beat to step to! (Word to Timbaland!) But I'm so glad to be back and to get things started, I'm kicking it solo. On this week's episode you'll hear a little bit about what you can expect from the show going forward. I also share my perspective on the recent defunding and dismantling of federal arts, cultural, and education agencies. To close, I leave listeners (and myself!) with a few questions around the art we create and how it reflects the world around us. Read below to visit the sources referenced throughout the episode, and other resources. Update: Senior leaders and other employees, including all ten directors who oversee grants across various disciplines of the arts, left the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) the week of May 5th, 2025. Read more here:Protect My Public MediaInside Harvard's lawsuit against the Trump administration : NPRTrump signs executive actions on education, including efforts to rein in DEITrump sets sights on national African American history museumUrge Congress to Save IMLS and NEH (For museums, staff, and board members)Arts Directors Exit the National Endowment for the Arts  Follow the show on IG at @theartofitallshow and follow the host at @dariasimoneharper! Don't forget to rate, review, and subscribe. Sharing an episode with a friend never hurts either;)

Welcome back to another episode of The Art of It All! This week, I caught up with phenomenal artist and educator Melly about her journey from social justice activism and organizing to her role as a pop star practicing what she calls 'artivism'. We also dig into her personal ethos of championing Black queer feminist futures and chat about the message behind her powerful debut single titled 'Dirty Girl'. Thanks for tuning in! Follow host @dariasimoneharper  on IG and the show at @theartofitallpod! Check out Melly's Instagram and website!  STREAM MELLY'S DEBUT SINGLE 'DIRTY GIRL' HERE! Read additional coverage on the 'Dirty Girl' release via Outfront Magazine. View Melly's video, 'Exodus,' which we discussed throughout this episode! This conversation was recorded on June 15th, 2022, ahead of the release of 'Dirty Girl' on August 26th, 2022.

Welcome back to The Art of It All! On this week's episode, I caught up with multimedia artist Audrey Lyall about her background in fashion design, and the inspiration behind her fabulous mixed media paintings, from early 2000s style trends, to the beauty supply store. We also discussed how her paintings explore different beauty traditions from around the globe, and how she's been able to create her own world through her artistic practice. Thanks for tuning in! Check out Audrey's Instagram and website!  Want to check out the articles we mentioned this week? Read them here:A New Generation of Black Women and Nonbinary Gallerists by Jasmin Hernandez for ArtsyThe New Bend Nods to Gee's Bend but Strays From Quilting by yours truly for Hyperallergic Also a big shoutout to Phillip Collins x Good Black Art, who we! This conversation was recorded on March 3rd, 2022.

Welcome back to The Art of It All! This week's episode is a throwback to an interview I had a few months back with the incredibly talented painter Jewel Ham. We discussed some of the influences and messages behind Jewel's captivating paintings, as well as her debut solo curatorial project called Wrist Game, and more!Follow Jewel Ham on Instagram at @whateverjewel. Fun fact, Jewel is represented by our previous guest, Cierra Britton Gallery (@cierrabrittongallery)!Check out her collaboration with Good Black Art via their Instagram; there's a still a limited number of works available for purchase.Follow host Daria Simone Harper for show updates and more at @dariasimoneharper!Thanks for tuning in! *This episode was recorded on 08/05/2021*

Thanks for tuning in to this week's episode, featuring art curator, advisor, and gallery director, Cierra Britton! Follow Cierra on Instagram at @vivalacie and her gallery at @cierrabrittongallery! Check out the Cierra Britton Gallery website for more info, and donate to the Cierra Britton Gallery fundraising campaign. Follow host Daria Simone Harper for show updates and more at @dariasimoneharper! 

Thanks for tuning in this week! Follow Polly Irungu on Instagram at @pollyirungu and on Twitter at @pollyirungu! Follow Black Women Photographers on Instagram at @blackwomenphotographers, and check out the website here! Click here for more info about the first annual Black Women Photographers Grant Fund. Follow host Daria Simone Harper for show updates and more at @dariasimoneharper! This conversation was recorded on June 18th, 2021.

Thanks for tuning in! Follow Basil Kincaid on Instagram at @basilkincaid and check out his website here!Follow host Daria Simone Harper for show updates and more at @harpisbazaar!

Thanks for tuning in! Follow Jasmin Hernandez on Instagram at @gallerygurls. And check out the Gallery Gurls website!Follow host Daria Simone Harper for show updates and more at @harpisbazaar!

Follow Ariel Dannielle on Instagram at @byaridannielle. And check out more of her work on her website!Follow host Daria Simone Harper for show updates and more at @harpisbazaar!

Follow Antwaun Sargent on Instagram at @sirsargent, and on Twitter at @sirsargent.Follow host Daria Simone Harper for show updates and more at @harpisbazaar!This conversation was recorded on March 08th, 2021.

Follow Lauren Jackson Harris on Instagram at @ljacksonharris and follow her org at @blackwomeninvisualart!Follow host Daria Simone Harper for show updates and more at @harpisbazaar!

Welcome to “The Art of It All,” a new podcast about art, culture, and identity. Join host Daria Simone Harper each episode for conversation with emerging and established artists and cultural workers of color who are setting the standard in their industries. Stay tuned!