LéAna Clifton's 'Marfa Daydream' Blends Photography and Mixed Media at Veldt Gallery
South African-born artist LéAna Clifton presents 'Marfa Daydream,' a solo exhibition at Veldt Gallery in Marfa, Texas, running from May 15 to September 26, 2026. The show combines long-exposure photography with paint, pencil, pastel, and burnishing on paper, creating abstract works that hover between painting and photography. Clifton, who moved to Marfa in 2007, draws inspiration from the West Texas desert landscape and the town's history as a railroad hub, military outpost, and filming location for 'Giant' (1956). Her pieces transform industrial objects like freight trains into luminous, dreamlike compositions. The exhibition invites viewers to slow down and reflect on time, memory, and imagination. Clifton describes daydreaming as vital for fresh perspective and minimalism of thought. Marfa's quiet energy and pristine high desert light are key to her process.
Key facts
- LéAna Clifton's exhibition 'Marfa Daydream' is on view at Veldt Gallery in Marfa, Texas.
- The exhibition runs from May 15, 2026 to September 26, 2026.
- Clifton combines long-exposure photography with paint, pencil, pastel, and burnishing over photographic prints on paper.
- Each work measures 20 × 20 inches.
- Clifton moved to Marfa in 2007 from rural South Africa.
- Marfa was once a railroad hub, military outpost, and filming location for the 1956 film 'Giant'.
- The artist cites Marfa's quiet energy and high desert light as integral to her practice.
- Clifton states that daydreaming widens her perspective and allows her to see things in a fresh way.
Entities
Artists
- LéAna Clifton
Institutions
- Veldt Gallery
Locations
- Marfa
- Texas
- United States
- South Africa
- 125 North Highland Avenue, Marfa, Texas