Ian Jackson
What first strikes you upon entering Totem & Taboo, Nicole Beaufrand’s debut solo show, is a sense of wonder and transformation. Stepping into the GFAA Gallery last month, visitors were greeted by an immersive display, complete with tree branches and crystals suspended from the ceiling, transforming the space into a forested dreamscape. Beaufrand’s paintings lined the walls like spiritual guardians, guiding attendees deeper into this surreal realm. The show, ran from June 11th to 14th, held its opening reception on Friday the 13th—an auspicious date, perfect for a spiritual awakening.
The centerpiece of the show, Ecstatic Dance, stared out at guests with wild abandon, inviting them to question the often-blurred lines between love and lust. When asked about the show’s title, Beaufrand explained that Totem & Taboo represents the singularity between reverence and abhorrence, “The things we, as a society, idolize and keep sacred often converge with the things that repel us." That convergence formed the heartbeat of the exhibit. Each painting explored the human form in its most spiritual state—vibrant bodies rendered in deep reds, brilliant blues, and radiant yellows, each one fully exposed, both literally and emotionally. Scenes of tenderness, eroticism, and exultant movement flowed through the gallery space. And at the center of it all stood Beaufrand herself—radiant, animated, and eager to engage in conversation about her work and process. She gravitates toward the subjects society often finds uncomfortable, one example being the female form. “The fem body is one of those things where people both idolize it and also criticize it and tear it apart,” she noted. In this show, she confronted those contradictions directly, inviting viewers to examine the very things we label as sacred or profane.
Collected over the past several years, the works in Totem & Taboo mark a clear evolution in Beaufrand’s artistic voice. Among the most notable were two paintings from her Purpose of Pain series—Transformation and Compassion—which helped structure the emotional arc of the exhibit. At the front of the gallery, Ecstatic Dance took center stage, framed by branches foraged from the Alachua Trail. The piece depicts woodland spirits circling a fire—both wild and reverent—a fitting visual to unite the show’s themes. It also serves as the representation for Beaufrand’s forthcoming music album, a project she has been developing in parallel with her visual work.
Much of Beaufrand’s time in Gainesville was shaped by her education. Beginning at Santa Fe College before transferring to the University of Florida to pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts, she used those years to hone her practice and vision. Totem & Taboo marked a culmination of that journey—a launch point into her professional career and a farewell to her chapter as a student. “I feel a closure of a certain stage in my life,” she reflected, already looking ahead to further experiments in painting and music.
For those who missed the show, you can follow Beaufrand’s work and future exhibitions through her Instagram account: @nbeauf. Totem & Taboo marks Nicole Beaufrand’s emergence as a bold and spiritual force in the art world—unafraid to touch the sacred and the profane, and unafraid to make them dance together.