Art Beyond the Shell is the international creative collective that champions curiosity

Art Beyond the Shell, also known as The Turtles, is an international collective on a mission to create spaces filled with music, art, and community-led storytelling, with the overarching aim of bringing people out of their shells. Founded by Dualeh Oke, for the collective curiosity is sacred, and something nourished and incubated on the dance-floor, through exhibitions, zines, short films and other forms of expression. The collective draw inspiration from 90 and 00’s era Cartoon Network, Black alternative fashion icons (Dennis Rodman comes to mind) as well as 80 and 90s Black sitcoms.

Their mascot, The Turtle, sits at the centre of their universe; he materialises in illustrative comic-work, posters and is often photographed in his plush form. Dualeh says: “The Turtle is someone who is curious, imaginative, and has creative ideas, but he is reluctant to socialise, he is anxious about meeting new people and exploring new spaces, especially with the increasing cost of living.” He echoes the story of The Tortoise and the Hare; symbolic of those who take things at a slower and more cautious pace. For the collective, The Turtle is a symbol for marginalised groups, it serves as “a reminder to keep taking steps forward”, shares Dualeh, “even during the times you feel slow”.