One year ago today I started LOTA on Instagram with an aim of celebrating designers, artists, and creatives who inspire me. These creators from underrepresented black, brown, and immigrant communities, found their identities by embracing their past and reimagining a new future. LOTA is a reminder of how connected we all are, because of the very differences that define each of us.
Last month, I wrote about hype culture and how creatives featured on LOTA are defining a new version of luxury that is rooted in tradition and modernity. As I reflect on a year’s worth of incredible artists, designers, stylists shared here, I want to go a step deeper into what sets them apart.
We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.
T.S. Eliot
This quote by T.S. Eliot, was read by Jane Fonda during an interview with Julia Louis Dreyfus. Although Fonda related it to aging, I see it as the shared experience of those "othered" by society. From my own experience as a daughter of immigrants, I was instilled with reverence for the culture I came from, but was unsure of how to embrace it as I tried to fit into society’s standards. Over time though, I found myself reconnecting to my heritage - back to where I started.
The same could be said of Levantine artist Nourie Flayhan. Flayhan was raised by Lebanese immigrants in Kuwait and attended art school in the UK. A tutor in art school, where she was the only Arab, pulled her aside and reminded to embrace her cultural differences rather than assimilate to style of her fellow classmates. That one nudge fundamentally shifted her art to what it is today.
Similarly, Yasmin Mora of Umaguma Studios moved back to Mexico to reconnect with her roots, inspiring her to start a textile studio using Oaxacan wool to produce modern textiles. When reflecting on her journey, she shared, “I’ve been putting in the work to come to this point in my life. And now that I’m here, I get it. I feel closer to my ancestors and my abuela. Moving back to Mexico, I feel her presence and energy”.
What I have also found to be fundamental to every story I am inspired by is creators who redefine their identity on their own terms. Creators who reject traditional definitions of beauty, strength, and power and are compelled to rewrite history from the point of view of those who are otherwise left on the margins.
Artists like Narsiso Martinez who showcases the hidden identities of undocumented farmworkers by painting their portraits on produce boxes, forcing viewers to reconcile the otherwise invisible cost of immigrant labor. Or Danielle McKinney who celebrates the resilience, grace, and beauty of black women, reclaiming their homes as a haven to be fully themselves. Or Ragni Agarwal and her most recent collection, Badtameez Betis representing misfits that were often told they were “bad” because they didn’t abide by society’s expectations. The stories and creativity of these artists and more are worth championing and celebrating.
There was an article a few weeks ago in Curbed about commercial art consultancies that hire graduates with multiple fine art degrees to create art for hotels, retirement homes, hospitals and more to fill the walls with art that is basically “Target modern”. You’ve probably walked into a space like this - it feels like it has been crafted to exude a cool, modern vibe, but in reality is a soul-less space that blends into some other spot you’ve been to and was equally unmemorable.
This is the same flattening of culture that I’ve talked about in the past and makes me concerned about the legacy we are leaving behind. It also serves as a constant reminder about why building a platform for creators to share their unique, beautiful story and art is so critical. It is why I want to keep building LOTA.
I hope we never lose our sense of curiosity, creativity, and whimsy. I also hope that LOTA can be part of your journey in making sense of your own story and feel seen by the stories and creators shared here.
For me personally, working on this has been an absolute joy and privilege. It has opened up conversations with my parents about what inspires them and be more thoughtful about what I want to pass on to my own kids. It has made me lean into everything the city I live in has to offer with absolute awe and wonderment. It has made me more intentional about what I support and what I don’t in an effort to more deeply understand the stories behind the design.
So thanks for celebrating the first of what I hope will be many more.
I so love that T.S. Eliot quote. Congratulations!!!