Through painting, printmaking, and interactive public art, I delve into the intricate tapestry of life, capturing moments that reflect the profound impact of large-scale global tensions on a deeply personal scale. By intertwining these two distinct narratives, I aim to raise awareness and foster dialogue about the larger social and economic inequities of our society.
I draw inspiration from various sources, incorporating imagery from newsprint, scenes captured during my daily walks and commute, as well as engaging local community members as subjects for portraits. This multidimensional approach allows me to create a window into our society, one that feels personal, familiar, and inherently relevant.
With each artwork, I strive to challenge our relationships with news media, our immediate environment, and the prevailing social structures that shape our lives. By doing so, I shed light on the inherent power and resilience of the working-class, offering a fresh perspective on how individuals perceive their place in the world.
Through my artistic practice, I invite viewers to question their own assumptions and contemplate the complex dynamics at play within our global society. I hope to ignite conversations about the interconnectedness of our shared human experience and the potential for positive change through collaborative action.
Select Exhibits
Prints from the series Not Just the Daily News have been included in:
Works on Paper
Brooklyn Waterfront Coalition (BWAC) juried show (June 2024)
Impact 2022: Art that Bears Witness (May-June 2022)
curated by Juanita Lanzo at the Bethany Arts Community, Ossining NY
The Art of Democracy
curated by Marshall Arisman for the New York Society of Etchers (November 2012)
25: Target Gallery Celebrates Twenty-Five Years
juried by J. W. Mahoney, Torpedo Factory, Alexandria, VA (September 2012)
New York Society of Etchers Second National Exhibit
juried by David Kiehl, Whitney Museum (April 2012)
International Print Center NY, New Prints 2011/Autumn (November 2011)
Residencies
Ballinglen Art Foundation, August 2022
County Mayo, Ireland
Developed series of watercolor monotypes working with master printer Phil Sanders.
Art and Museums in Russia, June 2012
Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia.
Created a body of work with Dr. Elena Varshavskaya, Program Director, School of Russian and Asian Studies (SRAS) and the Rhode Island School of Design.
Public Art Projects
Window Studio (2012 – 2020)
A composite portrait of the Brooklyn neighborhood of Bedford-Stuyvesant created in a storefront at 356 Marcus Garvey Avenue with funding from the Brooklyn Arts Council, Citizens Committee of NYC, Puffin Foundation, and private donors. For more information and to see the artwork, visit www.window-studio.com
Stoop Gallery (2011)
A pop-up gallery on Brooklyn stoops curated by Charmaine Bee. Funded by the Brooklyn Arts Council.
Myrtle Avenue Windows Gallery (2008)
Exhibition of ten paintings in storefront windows along a Brooklyn shopping thoroughfare. A Puffin Foundation grant inaugurated the project with the Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership.
Paint Across America (2008)
Collaborative public murals created in homage to artist Romare Bearden in DUMBO and Ft. Greene Park, Brooklyn. For more information, visit www.paintacrossamerica.org
Curatorial Projects
News/Prints, International Print Center NY (2013)
A group exhibit highlighting the long-standing relationship between printmaking and the newspaper, co-curated with printmaker Anders Bergstrom. Artists included: Becca Albee, Alexander Anderson, Miguel Aragon, Georges Braque, Jin Joo Chae, Cannonball Press, Benjamin Franklin, Robert Gober, Evan Hecox, Jasper Johns, Jeff Lassahn, Matt Keegan, William Kentridge, Vijay Kumar, Eduoard Manet, Adam McEwen, Claes Oldenburg, José Guadalupe Posada, Robert Rauschenberg, David Shrigley, and Kyle Tata, among others.
Other Juried Exhibits
First Street Gallery MFA Show, juried by Susanna Coffey (July 2011), First Street Gallery, juried by Gregory Amenoff (July 2008), Salmagundi Club City Workers’ Show (2006, 2008), Queensborough Community College, L.I.C. Artists group show (2006)
Biography
Anne LaFond is a New York-based visual artist working in painting, printmaking, and community-based public art. Through her artistic practice, LaFond sheds light on the often overlooked dynamic of class struggle that underlies our daily reality and the impact of contemporary issues – from war, strikes and mass protests, to climate change – on our consciousness. LaFond graduated with an MFA from the esteemed New York Academy of Art in Manhattan. Throughout her career, she has exhibited at notable venues such as the International Print Center NY, New York Society of Etchers, Torpedo Factory, and 6-Month Space, among others. LaFond’s artistic contributions have been recognized and supported by noteworthy grants including the Brooklyn Arts Council, Puffin Foundation, and Citizens Committee NYC, as well as through international residencies at the Ballinglen Art Foundation in Ireland, and the Art and Museums Residency in St. Petersburg, Russia. Committed to making art more equally accessible, LaFond is the Founder & Director of Window Studio Community Art Center in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, and the co-vice president and chair of the Exhibitions Committee at Manhattan Graphics Center. Additionally, her artworks have been commissioned and acquired by private collectors.