Inner Space, a new monthly web series co-curated by the Inner Space Youth Advisory and AGO staff, welcomes artists from across Canada as they present personal tours of their studios. Giving a platform to young curators aged 16-25 to work with artists from their communities, Inner Space aims to make visible and celebrate a new generation of Canadian artists. A new video will be released each month.

This month we meet artist Kaya Joan, a multi-disciplinary Afro (Jamaican/ Vincentian)-Indigenous (Kanien’kehá:ka with relations from Kahnawá:ke) artist living in T’karonto (Dish with One Spoon treaty territory).

They were curated by Loïk Raymond (aka Inniminan) of the AGO Youth Advisory.  “The reason I chose Kaya is that I believe in lifting up Indigenous and Black Queer creators. They practice what they preach and I truly respect that. Also their art styles are striking and deserves admiration by more people. The celestial aspect that can be found in some of their work reminds me of the connection we all have with each other and the universe. They are an artist that I believe deserves more visibility. Being able to lift someone up from within the Indigenous community fills me with joy."

Artist Bio:

Kaya Joan is a multidisciplinary Afro (Jamaican/ Vincentian)-Indigenous (Kanien’kehá:ka with relations from Kahnawá:ke) artist living in T’karonto (Dish with One Spoon treaty territory). Kaya’s work focuses on placemaking and storytelling. Black and Indigenous futurisms and speculative fiction are also themes present in Kaya’s practice-working through buried truths to explore how creation can connect seven generations into the past and future. Kaya has been working in community arts for six years as a facilitator and artist.  To view more of Kaya’s work: kayajoan.com 

Curator Bio:

Loïk Raymond (aka Inniminan) is a Two-Spirit Innu artist from Uashat now living in Treaty 1 (Winnipeg). He makes handmade traditional beadwork with a contemporary twist. Often designs are not planned, he lets the beads guide the way. He uses his art to reconnect with the land, ancestors and tradition. He wants to share his pride as an Innu with the world. He can only create when he is feeling positive thoughts as he believes his energy is transferred into his beadwork. His work has been sent to Spain, Japan and across North America. He has been a beadworker for approximately five years. Tshishpeuatetau Innu-aimun mak Innu-aitun. (Protect Innu language and culture.)