Soka Lazara (she/her) is a mixed Costa Rican, Nicaraguan, French-Canadian, and German lens-based artist and community arts facilitator based in Mississauga. She completed her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography Studies at Toronto Metropolitan University and completed a Graduate Certification in Arts Education and Community Engagement from Centennial College. In her artistic practice her work revolves around self-portraiture, editorials, and documentaries. Soka explores themes of storytelling, identity, family lineages, and her own personal experiences in her artwork. Soka’s project, “Family Roots”, traces the history of her mixed-race heritage. She explores the continuing story of her family and selfhood through place, emotion, and memory.

Reflecting on her project and the opportunity to exhibit her work at a large scale in the TTC, Soka states: “Having my artwork be something the general public gets to see on their commute feels amazing. I hope it brings folks some joy and brightness.” Further, she mentions her excitement to create art again and start a project that she wants to continue working on.

More on Soka’s website: http://sokalazara.ca/

@sokalazara on Instagram