E93. Imagining Diasporic Retrofutures with Olalekan Jeyifous

Welcome to the Institute of Black Imagination podcast, beaming in conversations from the galaxy of Black genius. I am your host, Dario. Today, we're excited to introduce Olalekan Jeyifous, an innovative artist and architect whose world-building practice reimaginations the relationship between community, urbanity, nature, and time; It’s very much giving Main Character Energy, and citizens of the Black Atlantic take centerstage.

In today's conversation, Olalekan and I discuss how architecture alone is rarely sufficient in solving problems in the urban landscape, we reimagine what the continent of Africa COULD have looked like if colonial powers were expelled post-independence, and Lek challenges conventional notions of beauty and success in architecture and why storefront churches and bodegas deserve a shoutout. 

Connect with us on Twitter and Instagram @blackimagination, subscribe to our newsletter for updates, and support the show by clicking this support link. and explore more content on blackimagination.com. And now, take a breath, as we take a ride with artist and architect Olalekan Jeyifous.

Key Links

Lebbeus Woods - American architect and artist

Silver Lion - an annual award presented for best directing achievements in a feature film at official competition section of the Venice Film Festival since 1998.

Saul Williams - American singer-songwriter and musician

The Apocryphal Gospel of Oakland- A discussion between artist, Olalekan Jeyifous and UC Berkeley assistant professor of Geography, Dr. Brandi T. Summers on the generative power of collaboration and the potential for speculative architecture as a means to develop comprehensive constructions of urban Utopias/Dystopias that engage with a variety of social, political, and environmental realities.

Black Reconstruction Collective -American architecture collective

Black Quantum Futurism  - A literary and artistic collective

Amanda Williams - Visual Artist

Justin Garrett Moore- a transdisciplinary designer and urbanist.

Torkwase Dyson - Interdisciplinary artist

Norma Merrick Sklarek - American architect

Grace Wales Bonner - London-based designer

Venice Biennale - an international cultural exhibition hosted annually in Venice, Italy

What to Read

Now You See Me: An Introduction to 100 Years of Black Design - Charlene Prempeh

Mickalene Thomas: All about Love - Mickalene Thomas 

Black Nature: Four Centuries of African American Nature Poetry - Cam