Cope for the Best
Toronto, CANADA - These five pieces by Kyla Yager strike me as a summative rumination on these past months spent in various stages of quarantine. I found myself lost in thought and feel the multitude of sharp colours and intricate lines speak to this period in retrospect, so many vibrant and abrasive memories that your mind can’t seem to line them up within the constraints of established time. In other words: this past year simultaneously feels like two months and two decades. I hope you’re able to lose yourself in these images just as I have.
From the Artist, Kyla Yager:
This is my quarantine series, each painting representing an aspect of 2020 in this global pandemic. Right before COVID, I was exhibiting my first solo show at a local library in New Orleans. After only one week, the show was closed to the public, the art market I vended at closed down, and everything I had worked towards seemed to be thrown out the window. Instead of simply giving up, I took advantage of losing my day job and immediately went to work on a new series, a new website, and perfected my craft with hours of studio time daily. I worked on all five of these paintings simultaneously over the course of seven months (March-September).
"Flashback" represents the memories associated with being home, while also giving off a subtle tension that comes with being stuck in quarantine with family members. "Lack of Fornication" alludes to the sexual deprivation associated with being stuck in quarantine and the anxiety that comes along with feeling sexually frustrated. "Passing Time" is about how we might entertain ourselves and fill our time during the pandemic, utilizing hidden images within the piece itself. "Trickle the Shade" brings to light the social justice issues inhibited within our society, and how lacking privilege trickles down over generations, as society is then inevitably throwing shade at people of colour. Lastly, "Claustrophobic Tendencies" is meant to make the viewer feel uncomfortable, giving off an overabundance of psychedelic detail and visual strain. This forced-feeling is meant to portray the overall feeling of being stuck in a pandemic. Specifically for me, feeling stuck in my mother's home filled with depression, anxiety, and social deprivation.
Altogether, this series represents my personal experience as an artist during COVID-19, and expresses how I used art as a real-time coping mechanism to get myself through these uncertain times.
Check out Kyla’s Website, Portfolio, Instagram, Facebook, and Youtube to see more!
“Lack of Fornication” 18 x 24 in, Acrylic on canvas, 2020
“Trickle the Shade” 30 x 30 in, Acrylic on canvas, 2020
“Flashback” 36 x 36 in, Acrylic and ink on canvas, 2020
“Passing Time” 20 x 30 in, Acrylic, ink, and Mod Podge on canvas, 2020
“Claustrophobic Tendencies” 24 x 30 in, Acrylic and Oil on canvas, 2020