Join Us For Our Annual TLRAR Open Studio/ Open House Sat, Feb 14 3-5pm.

 

Each year we invite one artist to occupy the retreat and workspace for 6 weeks during the months of January/ February. Jordan Zayas Kelly is our 2026 Focus Solo Resident.

 

Jordan Zayas Kelly is an interdisciplinary artist born in Baltimore and now based in London. Kelly's practice spans sculpture, sound installation, and prose, exploring the intersections of identity, material history, and archival memory.

 

Grounded in Afro-diasporic studies, she engages tactile encounters with archive and embodied experience as a method of reclaiming histories that resist traditional documentation. Using historically exploited materials-sugar, denim, raw cotton, steel, and cocoa butter-she transforms the quotidian into aesthetic interventions that confront their extractive lineages and the architectures that have redacted vital narratives. She earned her B.A. from Columbia University and her M.A. in Sculpture from the Royal College of Art. A Gilbert Bayes Award recipient, she has exhibited in London, Los Angeles, and New York, with features in Vogue, Office Magazine, and Flash Art.

 

The event will take place at the Last Resort Artist Retreat (TLRAR), with refreshments served.

 

TLRAR is dedicated to providing a sanctuary where Black creatives can rejuvenate and thrive. Together with others who also believe in community and sharing space. Designed to foster renewal and reflection, the retreat offers a curated experience that encourages participants to step away from distractions and embrace the transformative potential of new perspectives. By prioritizing space for rest, creativity, and exploration, the residency empowers artists to reconnect with their vision, nurture their craft, and uncover the lasting benefits of intentional withdrawal from the demands of everyday life.

 

You must RSVP to attend TLRARRSVP@charmccc.org