IMAGEMAKER. STORYTELLER. cREATOR.

About The Artist

Ayana Gordon (b. 1998) is a self-taught Antiguan-Haitian photographer and multimedia artist based in Baltimore, MD. Her work explores themes of identity, heritage, and the spiritual connections between people and their environments. Through rich textures and evocative compositions, Ayana delves into the nuanced stories of Caribbean and Haitian experiences, often weaving personal narrative with broader cultural perspectives.

Her visual storytelling has been recognized globally, including as a finalist in the 2024 LensCulture Portrait Awards and through features in Vogue Italia: Global Photovogue, Artsy, and The Guardian. Her images have been exhibited at the 2024 LA Art Show and displayed publicly as part of LEDBaltimore's city-wide art initiative. Additional features include Prazzel Magazine, BmoreArt, Shoutout Atlanta, Voyage Baltimore, and Canvas Rebel.

Ayana’s practice is grounded in continuous exploration and honors ancestry, spirituality, and cultural pride. Her work serves as a living altar, celebrating Black identity, feminine strength, and the interconnectedness of place and memory, while inviting viewers into a deeper dialogue about legacy, self-discovery, and community.

W here there is culture, t here is art.

— Artsi Ifrah

Artist Statement

I am a Baltimore-based photographer and multimedia artist whose work is rooted in the exploration of identity, shaped by my Antiguan and Haitian heritage and American upbringing. My practice is a continuous journey of self-discovery, cultural reflection, and spiritual reconnection—grounded in honoring the complexity and beauty of Black life.

Through film photography, set design, and storytelling, I create immersive visual narratives that center ancestral memory, celebrate Caribbean identity, and affirm the power of representation. My current work explores how environment, spirit, and personal history intersect to shape who we are. I use intentional composition and stylization to uplift the voices of people of color, inviting viewers to see themselves more fully.

My process doesn’t end with the image—it continues in the darkroom, where I hand-print each photograph. That space of isolation is sacred. It’s where I connect with the work in its rawest form. There are no teams—just me, the image, and the slow ritual of bringing it to life. It becomes a dance: intuitive, tactile, and deeply personal. Navigating the dark with confidence, even with eyes closed, has become a metaphor for my practice—trusting instinct, surrendering to process, and listening closely to what the work wants to become.

My work functions as an altar to my lineage and a living archive of cultural experience. Every image I create is part of a larger narrative that asks audiences to reflect on their own stories, identities, and relationships to place. Whether documenting ceremony, staging portraits, or building interactive experiences, I aim to create work that honors the past, speaks to the present, and inspires future connections.