MEMBER FEATURE:

Our monthly Member Feature aims to showcase the talent that occupies our buildings and celebrate their work.

This month, we interviewed Rockella Space Member Meagan Jain to learn how mysticism, symbolism and female iconography influences her work.

Meagan Jain‘s artistic journey began with a dedicated emphasis on social practice. Her early projects include teaching art to older adults during her graduate studies where she explored the benefits of art in the context of aging. Additionally, Meagan engaged in workshops designed to empower participants through vulva self-portraiture and painting large-scale canvas with the body.

Meagan’s work encompasses a wide spectrum of mediums, including murals, paintings, and sculptural mirrors. Through these diverse forms, Meagan has harnessed a deep sense of inner spiritual knowledge, with a particular commitment to empowering individuals with vulvas through symbolism.

Meagan has showcased her work at The Other Art Fair, Carlton Fine Arts, and Woman Made Gallery, solidifying her unwavering dedication to creating diverse ways to share her work.

Through her art, Megan hopes to inspire a deeper self-understanding and empowerment in others, offering a unique perspective that bridges the personal and universal through symbolism and mysticism.

Meagan Jain has been a Rockella Space Member since early 2023 and has a studio at One Eyed Studios.

To learn more about the creatives who call Rockella Space home, head over to the People page for a full list of in-depth interviews.

Meagan in her studio at One Eyed Studios

Photo Rocio Fenoglio

Who are you and what do you do?

I’ve never identified with the places I grew up and never know how to answer the question, “Where are you from?” I found a sense of home when I moved to Brooklyn and living here has helped me define myself as a person and artist. I am a mirror designer and painter living in Bushwick. In my career, I have worked and experimented with a variety of materials and methodologies, such as murals, apparel, and jewelry, hosting arts-based workshops, and even starting a nonprofit that taught painting classes to older adults in senior communities. After following my creative curiosities over the years, I have finally found myself and my style as an artist making mirrors and paintings with my own symbolic language.

Photo Rocio Fenoglio

How long have you been at Rockella Space and what is your favorite thing about having a studio at One Eyed Studios?

This is my second year in my studio and I love it alot! For the majority of my career, I was working out of a home studio, which has its perks, but for me, I need to create a separation of personal and professional space. I am a much more productive person when I can go to the studio, focus on my work, and then leave it there when I am finished for the day.

Have you connected and/or created a community with any other artists in the building?

I met other artists at the recent Open Studios which was great! During the day-to-day, the hallways and building are pretty introspective and people keep to themselves, which I don’t mind because it helps me focus on my work.

Photo Andy Avery

Tell us about your work. What inspires you to create the work that you do?

I am inspired by toeing the line between art and design, functionality and beauty, meaning and enjoyment. Working with mirrors allows me to create an art piece that communicates something through my symbols, yet it is open to interpretation and interaction by the viewer. Each piece reflects the viewer back to themselves and opens up an interesting dialogue as they interact with the work. I also like to create beautiful objects, things that amplify our everyday moments. Life is beautiful and hard and I like to create things that bring beauty into our lives.

Photo Rocio Fenoglio

Tell us about your work with mirrors. What are they made of and how do you go about making them?

I made my first mirror back in 2017 and was hooked. But I didn’t have the right tools to keep going. Making mirrors requires laser cutters and machinery that I didn’t have access to for a long time. I got my first laser cutter in 2022 and since then have been able to experiment with different materials and make sculptural mirrors.

I work with a variety of wood, glass, and acrylic. Some of my mirrors begin first as a drawing and then go through a process of digitization. They are then cut with the laser cutter. Other mirrors are made more spontaneously with shapes left over from other projects, kind of like a collage.

How did you first become interested in using symbolism as a primary element in your artwork?

I started my artist career painting figurative art. For a while, I really resonated with it, but after a few years, I felt very stuck in figuration and knew it wasn’t how I wanted to communicate through my art.

Before I moved to NYC, I would fly out here frequently. On one of these trips in 2018 I spontaneously passed by the Guggenheim and saw the seminal show of Hilma af Klint. This show, and Hilma’s work, radically changed my life. This was the first time I saw art that made sense to me at a cellular level – I really felt it and it completely changed the trajectory of how I went about making work. Seeing her work gave me the permission to explore spiritual and symbolic art.

I then deepend my study of other seminal artists such as Agenes Pelton, Judy Chicago, and Georgia O’Keefe. These studies allowed me to explore my own visual language and create work that really resonated with me.

Photo Rocio Fenoglio

Can you elaborate on how you believe symbols can create new ways of understanding and ignite new avenues of thought?

Humans process visual information much faster than words, with images being interpreted in as little as 13 milliseconds, while recognizing and understanding a single word takes about 200 to 250 milliseconds. Symbols are important as a means of communication because they provide efficient ways to convey complex ideas, emotions, and concepts quickly and across language barriers. They simplify and enhance understanding by allowing people to grasp meanings instantly without the need for lengthy explanations.

Additionally, symbols can evoke emotions and cultural connections, making them powerful tools for branding, instruction, and expression in various contexts.

Photo Rocio Fenoglio

In your opinion, why is the theme of reinvention particularly relevant in today's cultural and social climate?

In today’s cultural and social climate, the theme of reinvention is particularly relevant from an intersectional feminist perspective because it reflects the ongoing struggle for equality and the breaking down of traditional barriers.

For many marginalized groups, especially women of diverse backgrounds, reinvention represents the opportunity to challenge and transform oppressive structures and narratives that have historically been silencing and exclusionary. Reinvention empowers people to reclaim their stories, redefine their roles, and contribute to a more inclusive and equitable world.

By embracing this theme, we can inspire others to envision and work towards a society where we can reinvent new ways of being, thinking, creating, and collaborating.

How do the symbols you create serve as keys to unlocking our inner understanding, and what specific aspects of the human experience do you aim to celebrate through them?

The symbols I create tap into deeply rooted aspects of the human experience, particularly those related to sensuality, the body, and the vulva. My work is yonic and I create these symbols to initiate and foster conversations about the vulva, aiming to destigmatize and celebrate this part of our bodies.

I seek to challenge societal taboos and reclaim narratives around sensuality, particularly female sensuality and the body. By representing the vulva in a positive and powerful light, my symbols encourage viewers to reflect on their own perceptions and experiences. I aim to celebrate the beauty, strength, and naturalness of the vulva, creating a space where these conversations can flourish in ways that redefine how we see this part of our bodies.

Offering, 2020

Can you explain the significance of mysticism in your work and how it challenges the traditional veneration of masculine deities?

Mysticism plays a crucial role in my work by delving into ancient wisdom and spiritual practices that honor the vulva and womb, which have been historically neglected in favor of monotheistic and masculine deities. My focus on mysticism challenges traditional religious and cultural narratives by resurrecting reverence for feminine symbols, goddesses, and their transformative power throughout history.

By drawing on my Indian heritage and intertwining these themes with contemporary symbolism, I create fresh perspectives that reclaim and celebrate spiritual practices that live outside of Abrahamic and organized religions. This approach not only disrupts patriarchal norms but also invites viewers to engage with a more inclusive and holistic understanding of spiritualism and human experience.

How do you hope to resurrect the ancient reverence for the vulva and womb in a contemporary context through your art?

Throughout human history, history has been written by the victors – the powerful people who conquered and took from others in order to gain power. In this digital information age, with the ability to learn and disseminate information rapidly, we are able to reinvent what we have been taught. There is so much out there that has been done, that we don’t know about because those in power wanted to build a certain narrative – most of the narratives we know highlight male deities, conquests, and reigns of power, and yet – there are many histories that live outside of those confines.

My work seeks to resurrect ancient practices and through my work, I honor and uplift these forgotten histories.

Venus Fly Trap, Oil on Canvas

Could you describe your feminist-focused geometric lexicon and how it helps in rediscovering respect for the human form and experience?

My feminist-focused geometric lexicon is a visual language that uses shapes and symbols to celebrate and empower the human form, particularly focusing on the vulva and womb. By incorporating sinuous portals and womb-like symbols, I aim to challenge historical norms and resurrect the reverence for these aspects of the human experience.

Creating my own symbols helps me rediscover respect for the human form by presenting it in a way that is both modern and deeply rooted in ancient wisdom. It encourages viewers to engage with these symbols on a personal level, fostering introspection and a deeper appreciation for the feminine aspects of humanity. By creating a new visual language, I provide a platform for feminist expression, advocating for a more inclusive and equitable society that honors and respects all aspects of the human experience.

How do your art classes for adults aged 70+, such as the Vulva Self-Portrait Class and the SAGE Experience, contribute to your mission of honoring and empowering the human experience?

My social practice has been seminal to my work as an artist. For over a decade, sharing the creative space with others connected me to a humanity larger than myself, and gave me a direction through art-making that helped me learn more about myself as an artist, while working with others.

I have created and led so many innovative and unique workshops, helping people open up to their own creative curiosities which has in turn, inspired me. While I do not host many workshops these days and focus more on my own art practice, the decade long work I did hosting art classes and workshops has given me a strong platform to think about art as a community building endeavor.

Photo Rocio Fenoglio

What has been your experience in integrating your art into public spaces through murals and designing apparel and jewelry?

I love creating art that becomes a part of our everyday moments. Art inspires and as we move through our day-to-day lives, it can become easy to get lost and forget the wonder and beauty of being here. Creating art that lives in public and private spaces allows for us to transcend the aspects of life that can drag us down and provides us with opportunities to revel in the beauty of being alive.

If you were to invite anyone alive or dead to a dinner party, who would be on your guest list?

Tough choice between Billie Holiday and Hilma af Klint.

Photo Andy Avery

What advice would you give to aspiring artists, particularly those looking to move to NYC and looking to pursue a career in the art world?

Keep going. Don’t give up on your dreams for something comfortable and shiny, your efforts and sacrifices will pay off eventually, and probably not in the ways you expect.

Being an artist is beautiful and hard. It’s a privilege and no matter how you build your life, if you always continue to build your dreams, you are doing the right and best thing for yourself. Always bet on yourself and keep trying. The world needs you.

What projects/exhibitions have you got coming up?

I am gearing up for a busy fall of shows and residencies. I will be exhibiting at The Other Art Fair here in Brooklyn, and traveling to Spain this Winter for a residency.

Photo Rocio Fenoglio

Where can people see your work in IRL or online, and how can people contact you for a studio visit?

My website is www.meaganjain.com and my Instagram is @meganjain

I also have mirrors up at WESH NYC in Nolita.