“Haunt”: Being the Folly of One Victorya Spectre (2026)
Nayland Blake
Courtesy of Art Omi and the artist
interview by Emma Grimes
Across decades of practice, Nayland Blake’s work has explored identity, desire, power, and subcultures while posing incisive questions around freedom, bondage, gender, shame, and the complexities of human relationships. Born in New York City, Blake attended Bard College before earning an MFA from CalArts in the 1980s.
Blake’s newest work, Haunt, premiered at Art Omi on June 27. Marking their first outdoor installation, the work draws inspiration from the figure of the ornamental hermit—a historical practice in which wealthy landowners hired men to live in seclusion on their estates for years at a time. With Haunt, Blake continues their ongoing investigation into how discourse and exchange can take place beyond the limits of the white cube.