Fede Leyandre

Faithe Leyandre (b. 1997) joined NIAD’s Virtual Studio in 2021 with an established drawing practice. In recent years, Faithe has continued to refine their illustrative style through works that explore fandom, constructed identities, and video game and television narratives.

Some images from this series are precise and sensitive portraits; others function as schematic drawings or scripts that link a range of pop culture influences. These mash-ups often challenge existing gendered or generational categories, as Faithe explains, “For me, I prefer ‘boys cartoons’ like Sonic the Hedgehog. I like Cartoon Network, Roblox, and Thomas and Friends on PBS Kids. I prefer some things that are for kids, like Cuddle Buddies, puppets, and baby dolls. I like to have these interests respected.”

Faithe’s works on paper have been selected by guest curators for numerous online exhibitions, and several of their “Thomas and Friends” portraits were included in Now Presenting in the Annex Gallery at NIAD Art Center.