Opening Reception | Yang Jiang: I Thought I’d Be Braver | Athenaeum Art Center | Logan Heights

Opening Reception: Saturday, March 22, 5–8 PM
March 22–May 10, 2025
CATHERINE AND ROBERT PALMER GALLERY

YANG JIANG
Yang Jiang (b. 1988, China) is a San Diego–based artist and therapist whose tactile and dreamlike creations embody emotional liberation and spiritual freedom. Shimmering like artifacts from a fairy tale, her pieces use light, texture, and sculptural forms to convey a sense of vulnerability and resilience. A testament to the beauty and complexity of spiritual survival, Jiang’s work offers viewers a poignant reminder of the courage and tenderness of the human heart. Her art has been exhibited at the Athenaeum Art Center, Visual Art + Supply, Revision San Diego, and the Brown Building. Jiang is a graduate of Wellesley College and the University of San Diego. I Thought I’d Be Braver, Jiang’s debut solo exhibition, is a decade-long chronicle of her journey toward emotional courage. Her early work, characterized by bold colors and harsh textures, reflects the pain of repressed emotions and a fear of vulnerability. Gradually, this aesthetic softens into one of sheer, vibrant hues and delicate layers, mirroring her internal shift toward nurturance, forgiveness, and compassion. This evolution in her style reflects the brave heart of a wounded healer who has confronted her shadow and embraced self-acceptance, demonstrating that true courage lies in acknowledging and integrating one’s emotions.

The exhibition can be viewed in the Catherine and Robert Palmer Gallery at the Athenaeum Art Center (1955 Julian Avenue, San Diego, CA 92113) during open gallery hours, Tuesdays through Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and every second Saturday from 5 to 8 p.m., during the Barrio Art Crawl, and by appointment.