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Art & Spoken Word – By.Infinity

Born, Darel Joseph, in the inner city of New Orleans, Louisiana, I currently exists as Infinity. I’ve been writing poetry for the past twenty two years. Although I have been off the underground scene for years, I am currently making performance art. I am an artist (in every sense of the word), for I work in multiple mediums. I am currently pursuing a MFA from the University of New Orleans as a painter and street photographer. I am in essence a collage artist meaning I make collages. I’ve made paper, paint, photo, and video collages; recently I have begun to make assemblage art which is a physical collage of material. I recently have been working with video and sculpture in attempts to merge my spoken word into fine arts performances. Finally, I am in the process making my first album. Years ago I declined the offer to make cd’s under two local record labels, because I was not given the option of control of my art. I did not want to be a puppet in the great scheme of modern pop culture which has destroyed hip hop art. I have been working underground making great attempts of not recording with the numerous rappers and producers who have requested I lay my essence on their tracks. My art is social-politically driven from the stance of growing up in a community that was designed to prevent the social and economic growth of the individual. I have been politically involved in my community by educating those who are oppressed by the same circumstances that I continuously attempt to overcome. Sometimes if time prevails, I work with younger people by tutoring them in math, English, and exposing them to art and poetry writing. I am currently writing several essays on the topic racism, sexism, and classism demonstrated with sometimes personal experiences and examples of how we are forced in a cycle of hopelessness. I am now attempting to emerge from the underground to expose such realities.