Meet Ian-Alijah Bey: Filmmaker, Photographer, and Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ian-Alijah Bey and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ian-Alijah, career-wise, where do you want to be in the end?
Art has embedded itself so deep in how I view the world and my place in it throughout my life. I’m grateful that I’m able to create for a living while living to create. Sometimes I think it’s unfair to call it a career given its importance to culture, the advancement of it, and how much fucking fun it is. And while art as a commodity is now on the rise, it will always be more valuable than any dollar amount you could ever make from it in one lifetime when it’s truly observed. With that being, I hope my place in the art world never ends. I hope my art continues to grow with the people genuinely. I hope my art transcends me and goes on to further cultivate the creative community. That is my end goal. To die in peace while the world continues to spin, the art continues to inspire, and for the inspiration continue the cycle lol.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I think what sets me apart from other artists is the essence in which I create – dismissing ego, the expectation of monetary gain, and clout was thrown out the window the moment I decided to take art seriously. Creation is sacred for me and I treat every project as-is. I like to create with a clear purpose in mind, using different mediums to convey a specific feeling or absence of a feeling. And although this method isn’t unique to me, the place from which I draw my ideas will always be my artistic foundation. Every opportunity afforded to me professionally has been due to my originality as an artist all stemming from life experiences. From conception to materialization, the process of creating for me is not always pretty. Saturating yourself with the woes of life and mining for something beautiful is a side of art creatives typically keep to themselves because it doesn’t align with the idea that art is all smiles and laughs. Art can create pockets of vulnerabilities you never knew you even had and wouldn’t dare expose. I’m learning to embrace every step in the creative process in the hope it makes me a better artist and ultimately a better person. At the moment, I’ve been fascinated with filmmaking again so all of my energy is being focus on that. I get a lot of people that ask me why I stopped taking pictures or if I still made clothes – the answer is still yes lol. Filmmakig is what is enjoy doing right now and it takes longer to produce the final product but I promise I’m working on something I hope you love as much as I do.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’d hand my list friend a list titled, “Fun as shit to do in Atlanta:” and make them do every single one lol 1. Visit the plug in East Atlanta (she’ll get you right) 2. Head to Quickly on Jonesboro road to get large mango boba milk tea (extra sweet with honey boba) 3. Stop by Davidson-Arabia park to enjoy the sun and the. herbs that step #1 4. If you’ve worked up an appetite and the sun is still up, swing by JJ’s. Fish and Chicken and grab a jumbo shrimp plate with a sour apple lemonade 5. Go to Little 5 Points and catch some vibes while you shop around the area 6. Stop by the homie Brandon house to see what’s the nightlife like that day. 7. Finish your night at Fin & Feathers with the gang Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to shoutout my family first and foremost. My mother and siblings are a big reason why I create, while my girlfriend serves as a perfect muse. Without my support system, I don’t think I would nearly as successful.

Website: alijahbruh.com

Instagram: @alijahbruh.jpg

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian-norwood/

Twitter: @alijahbruh

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8cT46cHbBd1_MK8ZssHEyA

Other: https://vimeo.com/alijahbruh

Image Credits
all images are credited to Ian-Alijah Bruh