The Church is honored to host Ma’s House for an Artist Talk with visual artist Nani Chacon, moderated by Shinnecock artist, Founder of Ma’s House, and The Church Board Member, Jeremy Dennis.
Ma’s House & BIPOC Art Studio Inc. is a communal art space and artists’ residency for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) located on the Shinnecock Indian Reservation. Chacon will share a presentation of her work, followed by a dialogue with Dennis, including a discussion about their collaboration currently on view at MOMA PS1 (pictured above).
Chacon is a Diné and Navajo artist originally from Gallup, New Mexico, and Ma’s House featured artist for the month of June. Chacon’s practice includes large-scale site-specific public artworks, drawings, installations, and designs. Chacon primarily works as a painter and muralist, showing nationally and internationally. During her residency, Chacon plans to work on pieces in preparation for her solo show at Timothy Hawkinson, Los Angeles opening later this year. Chacon will also embark on a personal exploration of large-scale ink drawings that are reflective of the gestural freedom and movement of water. Chacon’s projects focus on community engagement, led by her personal philosophy that art should be an accessible and meaningful catalyst for social change. Please join us for this stimulating and inspiring conversation.
ABOUT NANI CHACON
Nani Chacon (b.1980) is a Dine´ and Navajo artist, born in Gallup, New Mexico. Chacon’s practice includes large-scale site-specific public artworks, drawing, installation, and design. Primarily working as a painter and muralist, she has shown nationally and internationally, creating projects that focus on community engagement, led by her personal philosophy that art should be an accessible, and meaningful catalyst for social change. Her work is recognized for its unique style, using figurative subject matter to explore the complexity of contemporary Indigenous culture and identities, bringing these voices to the forefront of public space. Chacon received her bachelor’s degree in Education from the University of New Mexico in 2003. Notable Projects have been supported by; The National Endowment for the Arts, California Endowment for the Arts, US Consulate and Embassy in Russia, The Obama Foundation, NM Public Arts Foundation, National Museum of Mexican Art Chicago, Navajo Nation Museum National Hispanic Cultural Center, and the Museum of Native Contemporary Art.
ABOUT JEREMY DENNIS
Jeremy Dennis is a Shinnecock artist based in New York who uses photography and mixed media to explore themes of identity, history, and mythology. Born in Southampton, New York, Dennis grew up on the Shinnecock Indian Reservation, where he was exposed to traditional Native American art and culture from a young age. Dennis studied at Stony Brook University and earned his MFA in photography from Pennsylvania State University. His work has been exhibited at galleries and museums across the United States, including the National Museum of the American Indian, the Parrish Art Museum, and other venues.
ABOUT MA'S HOUSE
Ma’s House & BIPOC Art Studio Inc. is led by Indigenous artist Jeremy Dennis. The project began in June 2020 and serves as a communal art space based on the Shinnecock Indian Reservation in Southampton, New York. The family house, built in the 1960s, features a residency program for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), art studio, library, along with hosting an array of art and history-based programs for tribe members and the broader local community.
