Speakeasy with - Gaelle Adisson
Co-owner of NAIO (Nuri African Imported Originals)
The vocalist behind the acclaimed soul/dance album Transient, Gaelle Adisson is known for making booties shake around the world. But with the opening of her new gallery, NAIO (Nuri African Imported Originals), located in East Atlanta Village, Adisson — along with partner Garrick Wilson — now hopes to funk up Atlanta’s art scene.
What was the impetus for creating NAIO?
We wanted to provide a space primarily for African artists who exhibit work all over the world but who have not had the opportunity to exhibit in the United States. We want to be a launching pad and a portal for these artists. But [NAIO] isn’t just an African art gallery. As time goes on, we’re going to go to Haiti, Cuba and Brazil to find other artists who have not been seen by American eyes yet. And dealing with international artists, we’re trying not only to raise their personal profile but also the plight of the places they come from. So it’s not just a lesson in art, it’s also a lesson in culture.
How have other retailers and shoppers in East Atlanta Village reacted to the gallery?
People in the neighborhood are constantly coming in. What people have been telling us is that we have raised the bar in the neighborhood. We just wanted to open a small gallery, but people have said, “Thank you. We need more of this.” I had a person come in and ask, “What are you selling here?” I told him, “It’s on the walls!” In Buckhead, you have galleries everywhere. You can honestly see that this is something new for this area.
Right now I’m trying to figure out the best way to do my music where it doesn’t feel like prostitution. One of the reasons I pulled away from doing music in the traditional industry is because technology makes it easier for artists like me to distribute my music. So if I have 10,000 fans who want to buy whatever I put out, I have the ability to do this gallery and take care of myself. When I venture back into music, I want to find the most profitable way of getting music to my fans, and then I want to teach other artists how to do it. I’m going to take my time to do it because, although record companies want you to think you have, like, a 10-year window, real artists can make music forever.