Yaya Yajie Liang’s work explores the metamorphosis of the body and the potential of ‘becoming animal’. From the legendary banished beast to the interpenetration of biological space, Liang interrogates how analogic mapping to and from animals (within imagined, lived, or taxonomic intimacies) helps us to reconsider the prescribed definition of ‘humanity’. Liang views painting as a movement that is constantly repeating the ‘becoming’. Shifting restlessly between abstract and figurative modes, she uses improvisation to kick-start new paintings, allowing unplanned initial strokes to help dictate the works’ subsequent direction.

‘Tasty the Sky’ spurs from Liang’s study of volcanic activity, from the documentary ‘Fire of Love’ to her summer trip to the active volcano Etna. Remembering and striving to mimic the overwhelming sensation that crossed her body witnessing the power of nature, Liang endeavours to transfer that feeling to the viewer through her brush stroke.

The ultimate aim is to remind us of the vitality of our body. Reflecting on a society where the digital representation of the female body through social media is likely to affect our mental health, Liang uses painting as a form of meditation. The subconscious process of interaction between the hand and the paint, leads her to remember the importance of feeling.