Special Dalia

Mohammed told me that the name Dalia means grape tree, which reminds him of his home of Palestine, where grape trees are an important part of people’s lives. Before Target and Aldi came along, Dalia was the go-to grocery store for many Uptown residents. Over the past 18 years, Dalia has evolved with its audience. But no matter how it changes, it always has something for everybody. Inspired by Dalia and its story, I aim to capture and celebrate its positive energy: resilient, optimistic, and welcoming.

Using a one-point perspective with a vanishing point in the center of the image, I created a space that is completely open to the viewer. The vanishing point is a grape, symbolizing a small seed of an idea from which everything begins. This space can also be viewed as a hub of possibilities. It offers and receives, connects people and places, and sparks ideas that lead to new stories.

Many of the shapes in the image are inspired by things that shoppers often overlook in the store, like pegboards, price stickers, shelves, lights, and floor tiles. These fixtures are usually just backdrops, but this time, I wanted to highlight them as an organic part of the store’s history.

The name of this piece, Special Dalia, is a play on the sale stickers, iconic to the convenience store. It also acts as a small reminder that Dalia holds a special place in the Uptown neighborhood.