Yajie Liang (b. 1995, Henan, China)  lives and works in London, UK. Liang’s work explores the metamorphosis of the body and the potential of becoming animals. From the legendary banished beast to the interpenetration of biological space and represented space with body, Yaya interrogates how humans’ analogic mapping to and from animals (within imagined, lived, or taxonomic intimacies) casts a trans light back on the human to help us reconsider the prescribed definition of ‘humanity’, and bleeds ‘animality’, the ‘stuff’ of animal nature that sticks to animals in zombie humanism, back onto the humanness’s texture.

Liang is currently doing Ph.D. research at the Royal College of Art. She graduated with BA Fine Art from China Central Academy of Fine Arts in 2018 and earned a MA in Painting at the Royal College of Art in 2020. Yaya has been shortlisted for The Waverton Art Prize (2022). Recent exhibitions include Simon Lee Gallery, London, UK (2022); 180 The Strand, London, UK (2022); Southwark Park Galleries, London, UK (2022); YuYuan Gallery, Suzhou, China (2021); Fold Gallery, London, UK (2020); Josh Lilley’s Gallery, London, UK (2020); Unit 1 Gallery, London, UK (2020).