Emily B. Yang
Artbean collaborates with talented artists, showcasing their work in installations and selling the unique merchandise they create through our collaborations. You will see their works showcased on our exhibition wall, sold on our shelves, and even reflected in our coffee selections and the offerings on our menu. Artbean is now proud to exhibit the incredible work of artist Emily Yang. Emily is an expertly-trained block print and ceramic artist whose work depicts the universality of the human experience. Through the palpable warmth and nostalgia depicted in her imagery, you’ll be inspired not only to reflect, but to smile! Read on to learn more about Emily and Short Stories, Artbean’s latest installation!
The Origins & the Artistic Training
For Emily Yang, compulsion towards creating art is reflective of the relationship with the city she now calls home. “I moved to New York City to go to NYU as an undergrad,” reflected Emily, and continuing to reminisce, shared, “That was the first time I was in New York City, and that was a stay of six years. I left for another six; and now, I’ve been back for another three…I just always find my way back here.”
Emily is proof that when one does what they’re called to do, the doors that open invariably seem to be ones into gardens of opportunity. The gardens where the blossoms that have always been meant to grow do so marvelously. “While at NYU, I majored in Economics and minored in Art History. But, my master’s was in Design Engineering. It was a dual Design and Engineering major, soo, it was while I was there that I explored a lot of design, print-making and ceramics. In recollection, it was clear that her path was just clicking for her. “Since I was already thinking about design, the idea of imagery and making things was all the more tangible. So, I just started spending more time at Harvard Ceramics.” And with a relaxed pause, she continued, “That led me here.”
Akin to that indelible draw of New York City, for Emily, finding her way towards art has that same magnetism one can only find in their calling.
The Installation
Art immortalizes our stories.
For Emily, these stories are at the crux of perhaps the most difficult part of the human experience--grief and all its iterations. “The name of the installation is Short Stories. It’s an installation of four block prints. Each print within it tells its own short story, its own narrative or statement I am trying to say about it. The main theme I talk about in this show is grief.”
In listening to Emily, though, it becomes abundantly clear that while the installation is about grief, it’s also about how to process it in ways that provide comfort to those grieving and honor of the memory of those departed. “I have a print in there called Grief and Love, which states how those are two sides of the same coin,” shares Emily. “In it, there are two mirror images of each other. They look the same; but, they have different symbols surrounding the other--one a fish and one a snake. It’s up to the viewer to decide which one is grief and which one is love.” It’s impossible not to reflect upon hearing Emily’s words. “I represent those figures so similarly because I’ve been reflecting on how similar those feelings actually are.”
Indeed, the thread connecting the two is inevitably woven upon feelings of love. “But,” she continued, “most of the work in the show is about my grandparents, the loss of my grandparents, and the ties that keep me to them. There’s a print of my grandfather with an image of him as a younger man and then the person I knew him to be. I was trying to summarize aspects of his life, to commemorate them--but also to show the contrast of how much time changes things.” Therein lies the weight of the truth of it--how the passage of time, while simultaneously a blessing, is also the conference of grief.
And, as a flip-side to the coin, with noticeable joy, Emily recalled, “There’s another print called Peach; and, it’s a folktale that my Taiwanese grandparents told me, although it turns out it’s a Japanese folktale! But, I like their version. They learned it while Taiwan was under Japanese rule,” recalled Emily. And with a smile, “they made it playful when they told me and my sister because they made us the characters in the story when they told it. We’d be doing things like eating Taiwanese food in it. I always liked how they told this slightly modified version of it.” Indeed, our memories are like art--the power to be eternal depending on how we use them. For Emily, the memories made during family story time held such power in their connectivity to her grandparents that she was inspired to create art from it--art that gives infinite life to her memories.
“We did a coffee label collaboration, too,” Emily shared. “I was looking for a coffee farm that is female-owned and originating from one of the places where I culturally identify. Artbean and I found a coffee farm in Yunnan, China that checked those boxes, which also touches upon the theme of matrilineal preservation you’ll see in some of my prints, too.” You really just cannot help but be inspired here. “It’s an Arabica bean coffee with notes of roasted corn, black tea, and plum,” Emily humbly continued, “And, I will also be selling stickers featuring the pieces from the show. Of course, limited prints will be available, as well as tote bags with block prints of symbols and images from the show.” And, alighted, Emily added, “I’ll also be featuring some temporary tattoos of some of the images from my prints, which is definitely something fun!”
The Process & The Inspiration
When asked what inspires her artistic process, Emily stated matter-of-factly, “often, it feels like a compulsion.” Indeed, a draw so powerful it leaves you powerless to its magnetism is surely only rendered by one’s vocation. “Usually, though, it’s the result of me feeling something,” reflected Emily. “Recently, it’s been about grief, as my last living grandparent died in December of 2023. It’s a part of the processing for me--a visual way of comforting myself. Sometimes, late at night, those intrusive thoughts can happen. For me recently, I was worried about how I could continue my ties to my family in Malaysia and Taiwan. So, it’s this feeling of loss, of anxiety about possibly losing cultural ties, as well. My work is very literal. If things are happening or I’m recalling something, I'll sometimes think, ‘I want to remember this.’ So, I make the image; and, after I finish the piece, I feel as though there’s some sort of resolution.” Then, with a noticeable sense of relief, she added, “I no longer have to carry something so heavily at that point.”
Such self-awareness is an ongoing journey for Emily. “I am inspired by things that happen in my own life, yes; but, I also include many symbols, typically from Chinese porcelain. I reference these as well in my prints and ceramics because it can be kind of like a secret message. I can tell myself I am still in ongoing conversation with myself, my heritage, and those who came before me. And, I can still engage with these ideas even in slightly new ways.” And, for Emily, ambiguity is welcome. “Do people know what these symbols always mean? I don’t always know, so it’s kind of a fun way to have dialogue with my community.”
In reflecting upon Emily’s work and artistic process, one can’t help but be reminded of the power of sharing--sharing memories, sharing feelings, sharing conversation, sharing cultural joy. And within that power lies a strength so powerful it can even alleviate the weighty burden of grief.
The Medium & The Style
When one is as reflective as Emily, the art--like the artist--is never stagnant. When asked how to summarize her preferred medium and style, she was quick to note that “the answer to this question is always evolving! First, I am a block print artist; but, I am also a ceramic artist. I take images from block printing and transfer them to ceramics as well. I am experimenting with printing on porcelain tile, as well. In terms of style, I am a contemporary artist who is informed by her contemporary experiences.” And with a thoughtful pause, added, “however, the way I make things, through block printing and ceramics, is old.”
With humility, Emily shared the inspiration of her style, describing her impressive resume of experience. “Two summers ago, I did a residency in Jaipur, India, learning block printing and carving different types of wood and how that helps with different kinds of image making. And last summer, I had a residency in Jingdezhen, China, which is known as the porcelain capital of China, and perhaps even the world. I learned different ways of making forms while there.”
While Emily surely acknowledges how she’s been so expertly informed by the traditional way of creating her medium of art, she notes that she continues to “find ways to make my art my own as a way to talk about my own experiences and stories.”
Indeed, a glance at Peach is verifiable proof of this. While an ancient form of art, yes, the story itself is profound in both its personalization and universality. The avuncular imagery, the warmth of the table setting. Combined, it has an uncanny way of nostalgically transporting the viewer to the joyful simplicity of youth. Yet simultaneously, the richness of detail hints at the specific life experiences of the artist. It is proof, once again, of perhaps the comfort art can provide from the inevitable--amidst our own mortality, through art, our stories can live on.
The Evolution
When asked how her work has evolved, a noticeable spark was illuminated. “I definitely think my work has evolved over time!” shared Emily. “I started collaborating with Welcome to Chinatown in 2020. I worked with Harry Trinh to design some merchandise and social posts together. They gave me a lot of prompts about small businesses; and, it created a lot of space to reflect on my own cultural heritage. This was kind of a starting point for me. Over time, I have continued in that space. But, I’ve grown more comfortable as my work has just become increasingly personal and reflective of my own life experiences.”
In the spirit of this same self-reflection, it is impossible not to be reminded of the incredible things that can occur upon the realities of self-actualization. When one is true to one’s passions, opportunities arise. In Emily’s case, we are shown the power of how an ancient art form can be used to reflect both very personal and profoundly common truths. Art, though so often reflective of the experiences of the artist, connects us through its universal themes. And therein lies a comfort that can sometimes feel impossible to find amidst the sadness of grief.
The Wisdom
When asked to think about who she was when she first began her artistic journey, a noticeable smile alighted upon her face. Asked what advice she’d give that version of herself, she was quick to retort, “just keep producing!” And with a chuckle, she continued, “Of course, this implies a lot of pressure. So, definitely rest, as well! But, what I mean is that sometimes it’s easy to think your work isn’t good enough or that your idea isn’t formed enough yet.” And, as though for emphasis, she punctuated, “but, just keep going! Over time, you will refine the way you do it. Don’t let that self-doubt impact you. Keep producing for yourself. It’s easy to get caught up about what others think. Keep making. Keep being productive!”
With a noticeable joy, Emily is quick to reflect on the bounty of her support system. “I’ve talked with friends before in terms of asking them opinions; and, luckily, they’ve always been encouraging. They tell me to be true to myself; and if it feels true to me, to lean into it. And, that’s what I try to do.”
For Emily Yang, leaning into that means that it’s all fallen into place.
In listening to Emily’s journey, one can’t help but think about how she defines her own medium of art. When asked to explain it to a greener ear, she explains, “some people also call block printing relief, you know. You start with something solid, then cut it away piece by piece. And, it’s in that uncut surface where you will find the image.”
For the viewer and the consumer, it’s hard not to imagine a more perfect definition of her work. Emily’s art is, indeed, a relief to the one of the most common burdens of the shared human experiences--grief. When you cut away the sorrow, piece by piece, as Emily does in her block printing, you’re left with vibrant memories that, when shared, have the power to provide joy over sorrow.
- By Courtney Adams, @ahhcoocoo