Shala. (artist)

Shala. (ʂa - la) born Olusola (o - lu - so- la) Akintunde (a - kin - tɯn - de) is a Nigerian American contemporary artist, multimedia producer, and leader in the art movement known as solar artwork.  Shala. is best known for the creation of the portrait series, Shala’s Seven Spoon and his solar sculpture, Shala’s Bronzeville Solar Pyramid; a 15 feet high pyramid skinned by his unique art-rendered solar panels. Erected in Chicago, the solar pyramid generates electricity using solar energy despite being covered with iconography; making Shala’s Bronzeville Solar Pyramid the first public sculpture of its kind. He is also known for the creation of the portrait series, Shala’s Seven Spoon. His work presents social narratives or practical elements found within social impact art.

Shala. lives and works in Chicago, while engaging in commercial, private and public projects internationally. He owns a media venture that encompasses entertainment, video, music, fashion, and art called The Movement Worldwide, Inc., a multimedia creative collective, social cause boutique and art label that serves as an umbrella for all of Shala’s work. The company was originally founded as an independent recording label that produced and managed hip hop band, Qualo and various other Chicago artists; including WPWX Power 92 radio personality, DJ Mike Love, HXLT, Hebru Brantley, and Million Dollar Mano.

Early life

Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, Shala., the oldest of three children born to Nigerian immigrants, Michael and Joy Akintunde,  began creating art in elementary school. He attended Lane Technical College Prep High School, where he met Travell Langworthy, Shawndell Lewis and Kenneth Bayliss and began creating music. The four students formed a rap group in his sophomore year called Angles of the Pyramid. They would eventually change the name to Qualoheem and ultimately shorten it to Qualo. 

Shala. went on to attend the Art and Design school at University of Illinois at Chicago where he created The Movement. Worldwide, Inc., and his collection, Shala's Seven Spoon.

Shala’s Seven Spoon

Shala's Seven Spoon is an original collection of character portraits featuring "a stylish and irreverent teenage girl and her social commentary." Shala. developed the satirical, teen character to celebrate underrepresented young women.  Each Seven Spoon portrait is created through a unique mixed media process of pencil, ink, marker-rendering, digital collage and computer texturing. She is presented as a collection of multimedia character portraits that sell mainly through limited-edition 16" X 20" stretched canvas giclees and organic cotton T-shirts. The work is released in collections of twelve portrait pieces known as seasons. His touring gallery exhibits feature his latest multimedia work and a dedicated Seven Spoon salon of the latest season of portraits. Shala. published his first book, Seven of Seven: Shala’s Seven Spoon, in 2015. 

Shala's Window Confessional collection

Instead of live painting, Shala uses the practice of framing a painting to reposition the concept of live art. A custom frame is crafted and designed for a live commission. The audience is then invited to complete the piece by painting whatever creative expression they wish on both sides of the glass canvas. The transparency of the glass allows for a multitude of shareable creations and interactions. The frames are made in various shapes and often resemble church windows. Shala. introduced his interactive Window Confessional installations at the benefit gala for The 606 Chicago Trailway in 2008 and it sold for $8,000 at auction.

Shala’s Bronzeville Solar Pyramid

Shala's Bronzeville Solar Pyramid, formally named Bronzeville Solar Spotlight, is the world's first functional art-covered solar powered pyramid. The public sculpture supplies electricity and illuminates at night. The art installation is the centerpiece of the Migration Sculpture Garden and is located in the historic neighborhood of Bronzeville; where the Great Migration took place.  The Migration Sculpture Garden is located on the land previously occupied by the historic Palm Tavern; a landmark Bronzeville performance venue. The public project cost $160,000 with funding from ComEd, the City of Chicago and other grants. After the project went over budget, Shala. donated his commission as a contribution to the Bronzeville community. The pyramid was completed on August 21, 2017; the day of the solar eclipse.

The installation stands 15 feet high and spans 18 feet square. Skinned by patented art-rendered solar panels, each panel generates ~200 watts of electricity using solar energy; despite being covered with iconography. The structure generates ~2000 watts overall. Shala. created his first solar sculpture for ComEd’s Solar Spotlight program. The program commissioned sixty high school students interested in science, technology, engineering, art and math to join Shala. in creating the iconography that adorns the solar walls of the pyramid.

The project was adopted by Mayor Rahm Emanuel and his 50x50 Year of Public Art initiative. The initiative was created to fund 50 new public art projects in the City of Chicago. The initiative was inspired by Chicago's 50 wards and the 50th anniversary of two of our most seminal public artworks (the Picasso in Daley Plaza and the Wall of Respect which once stood at 43rd Street and Langley Avenue on the South Side). In addition, the pyramid is populated with various iconography from Egyptian hieroglyphics and historic Chicago icons, including Barack Obama, Kanye West, the Bronze Doughboy and Chance the Rapper. 

Music

As a music producer, Shala. is a songwriter and founding member of the hip hop band, Qualo. Shala. produced and released four independent albums with Qualo, eventually entering a recording agreement with Universal Motown Records in 2005. There, they released the single Coco. The group did not release a full-length album with Universal Motown Records before disbanding in 2007. Universal Motown Records became Republic Records in 2012 and released the group from the agreement.

Shala. became a solo musician in 2008. As a solo recording artist, his music remained [...]-edge and progressive. Like most of his work, his lyrics challenged social beliefs and presented the world of a first generation, Nigerian American, raised in Chicago's street culture. His last musical release, a collection of seven songs called the “I Aint Goin” EP, released in 2009, was a fusion of hip-hop and electronic dance music. The release served as the predominant soundtrack for the movie Polish Bar starring Vincent Piazza, James Badge Dale, Meat Loaf, and Judd Hirsch. Shala’s original live show featured his band; a drummer, DJ, keys, two background vocalists and a bass player.

Film

Shala. has developed an original multi-platform show called The Seven Spoon Video Portrait Series; a collection of short video clips in which a diverse group of unique women share candid perspectives on a variety of controversial and confronting topics.

He is currently producing a multimedia docuseries with filmmaker Dani Jackson called Backside Stories; a series and touring exhibit that explores body image and ideals of womanhood from the current social narrative around the gluteus maximus. 

Shala. is developing engagement for a documentary about former Chicago Mayor Harold Washington with filmmaker, Raymond Lambert.