The heart of multimedia art is in the number of materials, concepts, and colors that can be brought together to express something. It is a medium that has been able to transcend barriers of every description, from language barriers to political ones. The female voice has been a powerful one in the world of multimedia art, with women like Alex Nuńez and Hajra Waheed expressing their personal experiences through found materials and chosen colors. There is currently no voice quite as powerful as that of transportive multimedia artist Leyi (Ruby) Yang. Yang’s color-soaked large-scale canvases vibrate with the evocative promise of there being more beneath their surface. We had the chance to talk to her in our exclusive interview below.
Q1. What made you choose to pursue a career in the art world?
I decided to pursue a career as an artist when I realized that there is art in everything, from the contents of a trash can to creations of science.
Q2. 2020 has seen performance art move into the virtual realm due to necessity; how do you think this will affect the future of performance art?
I think being in a digital world makes us reconsider the relationship of performance and audience/ materials. It changes the content. I think that there is great freedom in presenting art virtually and that performance art will be able to benefit from the creativity needed to overcome any obstacles it presents.
Q3. There is an emerging trend of artwork being used to highlight environmental issues like ocean conservation. Why do you think this is?
Art’s ability to create visualizations of abstract concepts can be a very potent and useful tool of expression.
Q4. The use of neon as an art form has been trending in recent years, and it’s also a medium that you have worked with. Why do you think it has regained popularity?
I think that neon as a medium holds such a rich history as a part of everyday life with its use in signage that the subversion of its predictability helps create striking art.
Q5. Are there any trends that you predict will be popular in the art world in 2021?
I predict that we will see a rise in fine art infusion. I think that we will see elements of modern art merge with more traditional techniques.