Latoya Farrell

Latoya Farrell was born in Fort McMurray, and raised by Caribbean parents. Her work has appeared in exhibitions such as InFuse 2 at the Garvey Cultural Centre and 5 Artists, 1 Love at the Alberta Gallery of Art. She is influenced by artists like Glenn Ligon, Kerry James Marshall and Khinde Wiley, Latoya’s work explores how social conventions have defined the term “black” and how these notions have influenced her own concept of identity.

She writes: “Essentially my work is three-pronged in its content, representing elements of black history, personal history, and art history. I choose to use found family photographs as it forces me to engage in a dialogue with something I feel estranged from. With the death of my ancestors, the stories of my heritage have faded from the foreground, leaving only glimpses into the past. By integrating these personal elements with traditionally iconic images, I am able to make my own experiences contextually relevant.”

Her work is also concerned with the manipulation of space and place; pushing the boundaries of presence and absence and the gray areas in between.