Meet The Artist: Nayana Lafond
Within Caron Tabb's newest show, "Humanity Is Not A Spectator Sport", a series of rotating installations entitled What Now; Making Space will take place. As Tabb's show focuses on the need to recognize privilege, accept progressive change, and actively create room within our worlds for others, What Now; Making Space consists of the artist's removal of a symbolic piece of her own artwork in order to make space for each of seven other visiting artists' works. Over the course of seven weeks, artist and participant Meclina plans to install her curated rotation - an exhibition-within-an-exhibition - showcasing this series of featured works, week by week.
What Now; Making Space not only features works by a variety of artists but gives an opportunity for networking career growth. Through a weekly artist blog feature and online artist talk, each will be highlighted and given the opportunity to more fully explain and engage with the Boston area community. They will also be able to engage with each other through an artist-only event formulated to offer a space for authentic and transparent conversations regarding the challenges of the art world. Each of these artists has a unique vision of the world and a message they present through their artwork, and we are both excited and thankful to have them here in the gallery.
Nayana Lafond is the first of seven visiting artists included among the What Now; Making Space lineup. Her work will be on display through the first, opening week of Tabb's "Humanity Is Not A Spectator Sport". This feature, following a long-term self-quarantine due to the artist's immunosuppressed state as a cancer survivor, will include art inspired by her experiences with medicine, as well as her story of coping and expression throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
LaFond's work focuses on social justice or, rather, injustice and the call for awareness. The artist speaks through her artwork of her indigenous roots and background in scope of the inequities and long line of social challenges faced by groups within underserved populations. LaFond is also involved with work through the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples Project, among others. Nayana LaFond's work speaks volumes and has gained recognition widely in the realm of local social justice art. We are thankful to have her as part of our upcoming show, and grateful to have had the chance to hear from her, personally, regarding her experience as an artist.
What initially brought you into the arts?
I have been an artist my entire life. Art came from a place of processing life and trauma for me. As a young child I spent a lot of my time making art to keep me occupied and distracted and learned how to put my emotions into my work. Over time it became a means of catharsis for me and very much a need similar to breathing for me.
What do you want people to know about you and/or your art?
That it comes from a place inside of me and is deeply personal, even when I am dealing with issues that have a wider scope.
What message do you hope the audience will take from your participation in this exhibition?
My current project seeks to raise awareness about Missing and Murdered Indigenous People and Domestic Violence. This project is about healing for me and those who participate in it and their families.
Do you have any future projects planned?
At this moment I am a year and a half into the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples Project. I plan to continue that as long as necessary, possibly indefinitely. I'm also working on a project involving medical supplies in epoxy resin processing my emotions related to being a leukemia and bone marrow transplant survivor and plan to continue as a painter with other projects in the future along side the ongoing MMIWG/P painting project.
You can visit LaFond's work in-person while it is on view in the gallery this upcoming opening week, in What Now; Making Space, an exhibition-within-an-exhibition of Caron Tabb's show, "Humanity Is Not A Spectator Sport". A First Friday opening reception will be held November 5th, 5-8 pm, followed in the next few days by artist talks from both Caron Tabb and Nayana Lafond, themselves. Please visit our website www.beacongallery.com for a full calendar, registration, and links. We want to extend thanks to Nayana for her work and for taking the time to meet with us!
To keep up with LaFond's work and beyond, you can follow the artist on instagram @nayanaarts / twitter @artsnayana / or visit her website www.nayanaarts.com
For more information or to contact the gallery directly, please direct inquiries to contact@beacongallery.com