Interview with Lana Peache

Meet the wildly talented artist Lana Peache in all her bold pink badass feminist glory.

© Lana Peache

Interview by Megan May Walsh

Edited by Emma Munson

Meet the marvelously talented Vancouver artist Lana Peache aka @nastypeache! Lana is a sex positive and body positive artist whose work focuses on pleasure for all bodies, orgasm equality, and body autonomy. She loves loud pinks and bold colors that match the loud messages expressed in her work. Through encouraging both pleasure and rebellion in the same space, her art is unapologetic in its approach to rid of stigma.

MEGAN: If you could describe your work in a couple of sentences, how would you describe it?

LANA: I'd say it is feminist art that explores sexuality, body acceptance and choice. It is about empowering pleasure and rebellion in the same space, especially for vulva owners. It highlights the importance of inclusive sex education for all bodies, sexualities, and relationships. The bright pink bold colors and pop art style are put together with these topics to grab your attention. It is loud on purpose.

© Lana Peache

MEGAN: How would you describe your journey towards art? What does art mean to you? And what have been some of your most powerful artistic inspirations and muses?

LANA: I come from a family of artists on both sides, so I have always been involved in the arts. But it's also just intuitive to me. I enjoy it and have studied it for my bachelors, so I understand it, at least in a way where I can express myself clearly. Inspiration comes from day to day women just being themselves, the women in my own life, my abuela and family in Mexico, Frida Kahlo, Barbara Krueger, Judy Chicago. And just love for the human body and individuals accepting and coming back to their bodies and spaces.

© Lana Peache

MEGAN:What does feminism mean to you?

LANA: Equality for all. Individuals who want to uphold rights for vulva owners and a wild reclamation of ourselves from the patriarchy. Understanding the many ways women are affected by the patriarchy, any barriers that go beyond gender and bringing to forefront the injustice of it.

© Lana Peache

MEGAN: How do you see the collision of art and politics? In what ways is art political and in what ways can it affect social change?

LANA: That's a really good question. Art is political, without a doubt. Art is something that people admire but it's also something that sends a message in a powerful or subtle way that our visual brains just love. The existence and importance of it is what can drive revolutions, ideologies and generational change. Sometimes in small ways but often it works hand in hand with what's going on in the world or in our communities. But it's become a whole different thing lately with social media, as it makes that access and shareability easier on the internet. It reaches many voices across many different Platforms and I'm still learning how art, politics and social media are evolving and how it can be better to help those rights.

© Lana Peache

MEGAN: In light of the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, what are the possibilities and limitations for artwork to serve as a symbol of protest?

LANA: Art is a great way to express the trauma and pain many individuals have felt with this decision or any decision that comes from it. Protest art is also informative, if it's trying to get information across through social media, where a majority of information is being shared and looked at. These visual, artistic infographics are both visual and easy to read but in a way that our generation can understand and help share that message.

© Lana Peache

As for limitations, my art contains nudity sometimes and themes on sexuality and pleasure so often I am used to censorship around social media. However since the recent overturn, I have found that many abortion topic art is censored more heavily by the metaverse, which is disappointing especially when there's myths to debunk, factual and inclusive sexual education to get across to educate some and / or aid others as well as ways to teach individuals why this is something we can't ignore.

MEGAN: What do you want people to take away when they encounter your artwork? What do you hope it inspires in them?

LANA: I would hope that my artwork inspires that acceptance with your body around sex, feminism and political art, that they feel seen, heard, understood etc. and honestly, I love to illustrate because these are things I am passionate about as an artist. I have spent too much of my life hiding, shamed or silenced as a young girl. As someone going through that whole journey myself now, I want others to know through art that they no longer need to apologize for taking up that space as well -- and I hope others learn to be as loud and at home in their bodies much like how I am loud in my creativity and at home with my art.

© Lana Peache

To see more and keep up with Lana Peache's artwork, follow her on Instagram @nastypeache!