Meet Ayo Tsalithaba

We recently connected with Ayo Tsalithaba and have shared our conversation below.

Ayo , so many exciting things to discuss, we can’t wait. Thanks for joining us and we appreciate you sharing your wisdom with our readers. So, maybe we can start by discussing optimism and where your optimism comes from?

My optimism comes from a few places, primarily stems from my stubbornness, but also from my deep desire to live in a world that can be gentle to everyone. I often talk about how I am most motivated by spite, and I don’t really see that as an entirely negative thing. When I witness or face an injustice, I am extremely inclined to make sure that no one has to endure it again and I think that in itself is an act of optimism.

I also believe that my optimism comes from seeing the ways in which the people around me approach life with so much wonder, joy, generosity and care. I am constantly in awe of so many people within the many communities I inhabit who truly embody a sense of optimism that is rooted in the radical possibility of imagining new, better and more equitable futures.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I am a visual artist, writer and researcher, but sometimes I just like to say that I am a storyteller. I work primarily in film, but other mediums in my practice are illustration, graphic design, photography, and essays.

What excites me most is human connection, which feels very broad but I think that term really gets at the root of what I am drawn to in my work. Lately, I have been making a lot of work about grief and loss, which are emotions that many people are either already deeply familiar with or will become acquainted with whether they like it or not. I started exploring my relationship with loss when Covid first hit and the vocabulary of grief has been immensely helpful and integral to how I structure my life. I think that reckoning with grief and loss can teach us a lot and allows us to work through other things that may seem unrelated.

I am also someone who loves cooking for others, eating delicious food, drinking interesting wine, and watching all kinds of media especially rom-coms and reality TV! I mention these things because I think that what I do in my “free time” really informs the kind of work that I make and what kinds of stories I prioritize. I am trying very hard to do joyful things because much of the subject matter in my artistic work can feel very heavy, so it’s important for me to be able to have a balance.

I am kind of making new work as the spirit moves me, so it’s tough to say much about what’s “up next!” I have a few projects kind of marinating at the moment: a horror short that I’m pitching, a limited series dramedy that I’m writing, an experimental film I’m toying with, and another short that I’m in the very early stages of planning. I was also the star of a short film called Gender Reveal by Mo Matton that you can follow at @genderreveal_film on Instagram for updates!

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Three qualities that got me to where I am today and that I hope to really maintain as I move through life and my career are: honesty, play/curiosity and being proactive.

I really think that honesty with self is really the first step in many artistic pursuits. Powerful storytelling comes from an honest place, and once you know what you are trying to say, no one can really tell you otherwise. I have learned so much from pieces that I don’t even necessarily relate to, and that’s because the people who made them were honest.

I wouldn’t be where I am without play and curiosity. These are things that really need to be honed and nurtured, though or I think you can easily lose sight of them. Sometimes as you progress in life and your career, you tend to start taking things really seriously, but it’s important to zoom out every once in a while, mess around and see what comes up.

One thing that has really helped me is being proactive. I have really built my career from the ground up as a self taught artist and many of the opportunities I have received were things that weren’t necessarily being offered. Sometimes I have just cold emailed or even direct messaged people working on something I’m interested in and it’s ended up either working out really well, or they haven’t responded – which isn’t the worst thing in the world!

Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?

I have really been struggling with acquiring funding to make the projects I want to make lately, and that’s an issue that is not unique to me but rather is sadly common in the Canadian Arts and Culture sector today. I have been living in Canada for over a decade, but only recently became a Permanent Resident, meaning a lot of funding opportunities were not available to me until this year. It’s really great to finally have permanent status, but it came at a time where we are seeing crumbling arts infrastructure and the loss of major cultural institutions in this country.

It’s been really hard to picture myself as a full-time artist, so I have a full-time job and make art on the side. It’s not easy, but I’ve had to start being really selective with the projects I take on, and have been focusing really hard on my own stuff lately to avoid burning out. Another thing that I’ve been doing is applying to as many things as possible, and trying to one-up each application that I write. This has meant dealing with a lot of rejection, but I take the time needed to grieve, and then move onto the next thing. Sometimes, though, I don’t really have the energy to keep going, so I take the breaks I need. I haven’t stopped making work, and honestly with some projects, I try to focus on how I can make the most out the little resources I have because ultimately, it is really impressive to be able to make impactful work with nearly no money and you can use that as good incentive for people to give you the resources you really need!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ayotsalithaba.com
• Instagram: @ayotsalithaba
• Twitter: @AyoTsalithaba

Image Credits

Sarah Bodri
Gillian Mapp
Roya DelSol