Tatiana Vahan, a Los Angeles-based artist, creates works at the intersection of research, activism, and community organizing. Her work analyzes and critiques existing social and economic systems. Since 2016 this work has focused on the lack of infrastructure supporting the basic needs of local visual artists. Do artists have healthcare? Affordable housing? Sufficient grant opportunities? How can we realize these needs and collectively re-imagine a framework that supports artists? Vahan’s work explores how economic and cultural value are created, how these processes create systems of power and hierarchy, and how this impacts our bodies as well as our individual and collective consciousness.
Vahan received an MA in Aesthetics and Politics from CalArts and a BFA in Visual Art from New World School of the Arts. She also has a professional bodywork practice, where she has been exploring the materiality of the body since 2002. Her artwork has been exhibited at 356 Mission Road, ICA LA, MDC Museum of Art + Design, Museum of Contemporary Art North Miami, Bass Museum of Art, Miami Art Museum, and Monte Vista Projects among others. Her work has been written about in Hyperallergic, LA Weekly, Los Angeles Magazine, and the Long Beach Post.
EDUCATION
2014 The Mountain School of Arts^
2014 MA: California Institute of the Arts, Aesthetics and Politics
2009 BFA: New World School of the Arts, Visual Art
INTERDISCIPLINARY PROJECTS
2018-Ongoing
Los Angeles Artist Census, a socially engaged art research project that has gathered financial data on LA-based artists to gain a better understanding of need versus resources available to artists in L.A. County. The project has taken place via public programs and/or installations at Navel, Art in the Park, Los Angeles Contemporary Archive (LACA), and ICA LA, Los Angeles, CA
2017-2019
bar-fund, an artist-run grant building initiative dedicated to providing unrestricted grants for LA-based artists. The project has taken through Armory Center for the Arts, Art Converge, Bel Ami, Bob Baker Marionette Theater, Common Field, Commonwealth and Council, Charlie James Gallery, Fahrenheit, FLAX Foundation, Ghebaly Gallery, gloria galvez and Tasha Bjelic (via Navel), Hannah Grossman and Sarah Williams (via Armory Center for the Arts), Human Resources, Ibid, ICA LA, LAXART, Los Angeles Contemporary Archive (LACA), Lowell Ryan Projects, Ltd, Maiden L.A., Main Museum, MAK Center for the Arts, Moskowitz Bayse, Other Places Art Fair, PANEL, Various Small Fires, and 356 Mission Road, Los Angeles, CA.
2016-2017
An Ephemeral History of High Desert Test Sites, co curated with Andrea Zittel, Aram Moshayedi, and Sohrab Mohebbi, High Desert Test Sites 2017, Joshua Tree, CA.
2016
Full Body, an art installation that functioned as an exhibition featuring work by Lygia Clark, Alyse Emdur, Paul Mpagi Sepuya, Julia Kouneski, Jules Gimbrone, Dan Bustillo, and Barbara T. Smith, CalArts REEF Residency, Los Angeles, CA.
The Mountain School of Arts: The First Ten Years, produced, edited, and published with Agnes Bolt and Piero Golia, The Mountain School of Arts^ and Los Angeles Contemporary Archive, Los Angeles, CA.
2015
Toggle, an internet browser plugin that functions as an international fellowship program and platform for research, communication, and projects. Created with neverhitsend. Inaugural fellows are: Anthony McCann, Cannibal Facts, Cassie McQuarter, Georgie and Min, Jennifer Moon, Leah Beeferman, Marii Nyrop, Micol Hebron, Vanessa Sioufi, Woofer Ten, and Zoya Sardashti. 221a and International Symposium for Electronic Arts, Vancouver B.C. / online.
EXHIBITIONS & PUBLIC PROGRAMS
2020
Los Angeles Artist Census at OPaF, Other Places art Fair, online.
LADOT Town Hall Tour: The 2020 Census and You / Tour de Reuniones Comunitarias: El Censo del 2020 y Usted, LADOT + DubLab + Radio Ollin, Los Angeles, CA.
Arts Funding Now!, Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery, Los Angeles, CA.
TELETHON ForYourArt, Frieze, Los Angeles, CA.
Elevator Tuesdays, Elevator Talk, Elevator Mondays, Los Angeles, CA.
Los Angeles Artist Census Office, ICA LA, Los Angeles, CA.
2019
Engaging Communities Through Artist-Led Data Projects, Panel discussion led by Yvonne Lee, with Hailey Loman, Tatiana Vahan, and Umi Hsu, Art in the Park
Los Angeles Artist Census Open House, Art in the Park, Los Angeles, CA.
DEATH BY TECHNOMANCY, discussion with Micki Meng, San Francisco Art Book Fair, San Francisco, CA.
L.A. Artists: What do we know about ourselves?, Navel, Los Angeles, CA.
ASSEMBLIES, Navel, Los Angeles, CA.
2018
Los Angeles Artist Census Presentation and Public Discussion, Los Angeles Contemporary Archive, Los Angeles, CA.
2017
bar-fund and Community Fundraising Public Discussion II, Los Angeles Contemporary Archive, Los Angeles, CA.
bar-fund and Community Funded Artist Grants Public Discussion I, Los Angeles Contemporary Archive, Los Angeles, CA.
2015
The Promise of Something and Nothing, Sonce Alexander Gallery, Los Angeles, CA.
2014
A Narrative of An Artist Exploring Capitalism, MDC Museum of Art + Design, Miami, FL.
Post Private, Monte Vista Projects, Los Angeles, CA.
2013
neverhitsend, 356 Mission Road, Los Angeles, CA.
Artist books exhibition, Ooga Booga #2, Los Angeles, CA.
2012
Cashier, Garage Pizza, Los Angeles, CA.
Vacation Rental Advisor, Vacation Rental Homes Made Easy, Los Angeles, CA.
Office and Studio Assistant, A-Z West, Joshua Tree, CA.
Intern, François Ghebaly Gallery, Los Angeles, CA.
Phone Operator, Department of Social Services, Los Angeles, CA.
Yardman, Department of Public Works Streets Services, Los Angeles, CA.
Parade Coordinator, West of Rome (Trespass Parade), Los Angeles, CA.
Barrista, The Coffee Pot, Los Angeles, CA.
Massage Therapist, Delano, Miami Beach, FL.
2011
Studio Sale Show, Fountainhead Studios, Miami, FL.
Open Process, Museum of Contemporary Art, North Miami, FL.
Inside/Outside, Little River Yacht Club, Miami, FL.
Mission Impossible, Little River Yacht Club, Miami, FL.
Home: Dream Home, Praxis International Art, Miami, FL.
2010
Myself As a Storefront Window, Bass Museum of Art, Miami Beach, FL.
Littlest Sister, Spinello Gallery, Miami, FL.
The New Frontier, Christopher Miro Gallery, Miami, FL.
New Work Miami, Perez Art Museum Miami, Miami, FL.
Home Videos (1986 -1991), American Airlines Arena Jumbotron, Miami, FL.
Home Videos (1986 -1991), Gansevoort Hotel, Miami Beach, FL.
Ponzi Schemes, The End/Spring Break, Miami ,FL.
2009
Art Basel 2010, The Yard @ Casa Lin, Miami, FL.
Littlest Sister, Spinello Gallery, Miami, FL.
Smash and Grab, Locust Projects, Miami, FL.
AAEC Exhibition, Fredric Snitzer Gallery, Miami, FL.
Drawing and Painting Show, ArtSeen, Miami, FL.
How to Make a Gallery a Home, Spinello Gallery, Miami, FL.
BFA, Cisneros Fontanals Art Foundation, Miami, FL.
Sentimental Garage Sale, my mom’s yard, Miami, FL.
2008
The Art of Women, Roxcy ONeal Bolton Women’s History Gallery, Miami, FL.
Marks and Strokes, New World Gallery, Miami, FL.
2007
Progressions, New World Gallery, Miami FL.
2006
NWSA, Espiritos Santos Gallery, Miami, FL
Rising Stars, New World Gallery, Miami, FL
GRANTS & RESIDENCIES
2019
ASSEMBLIES nominated artist, Navel, Los Angeles, CA.
Artist in Residence, Art in the Park, Los Angeles, CA.
2016
Artist in Residence, CalArts REEF Residency, Los Angeles, CA.
2015
Media Artist Grant, British Columbia Arts Council, sponsored by 221a, Vancouver, B.C.
Curatorial Residency, 221a, Vancouver, BC.
Participant, International Symposium on Electronic Art, ISEA, Vancouver, B.C.
2014
Scholarship, California Institute of the Arts, Valencia, CA.
2010-2011
Grant Nominee recipient, Bass Museum of Art, Miami Beach, FL.
2009
Special Project Grant, Bass Museum of Art and Miami Beach Arts Trust, Miami Beach, FL.
2005
Frances Wolfson Endowed Visual Arts Scholarship, New World School of the Arts, Miami, FL.
2004-2009
Full Tuition Scholarship, New World School of the Arts and University of Florida, Miami, FL.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Tierney Finster. “TELETHON ForYourArt: Erin Christovale, Asuka Hisa, […] Tatiana Vahan,” Tierney Talks (Podcast, 1:48:00-2:00:00). Sept 2020.
Renée Reizman. The 2020 Census and You / El Censo del 2020 y Usted, LADOT + DubLab + Radio Ollin (Radio program), 19 Sept 2020
Shana Nys Dambrot. “If You’re an Artist, Take This Survey,” LA Weekly. 27 March 2020.
Allison Wyper. “Project Spotlight: Tatiana Vahan + Los Angeles Artist Census,” Rhizomatic Arts. 13 March 2020.
Jennifer Remenchik. “Creating a Census for Los Angeles Artists,” Hyperallergic. 25 Feb 2020.
Catherine Womack. “Los Angeles: A Great Place to be an Artist, If You Can Afford It,” SMU Data Arts. 23 Jan 2020
Virginia Broersma. “Survival of the Artist: Money Doesn’t Grow on Palm Trees,” The Hi-lo, Long Beach Post. 2 Dec 2019.
Thomas Adams. “Episode 21: Tatiana Vahan,” Art Traffic (Podcast). 14 Aug 2018.
Marissa Gluck. “Here’s Why You Should Tip the Bartender Next Time You’re at an Art Opening,” Los Angeles Magazine. 24 April 2018.
Karen Archey. “Art & New Age: Who Cares?,” Frieze. 16 Feb 2017.
Braithwaite, Hunter. “Tatiana Vahan, A Narrative of an Artist Exploring Capitalism,” Miami Rail. Summer 2014.
Eler, Alicia. “Living in a Post-Private World,” Hyperallergic. 20 March 2014.
Parker, Allyson. “neverhitsend: A Conversation with LA Based Arts & Technology Collective,” ArtSlant. 8 February 2014.
Carlos Suarez De Jesus. “Ones to Watch: Eight Up-and-Coming Miami Artists,” Miami New Times. 24 March 2012.
Carlos Suarez De Jesus, “Miami’s MOCA celebrates its quinceanera,” Miami New Times. 17 March 2011.
Denis Scholl, “Miami’s Emerging Artists: Who’s Next?,” Knight Foundation. 4 March 2011.
CONTACT
tatianavahan at gmail.com
IG: tateevee