Maria Yolanda Liebana Unveils a Colorful Journey in New Exhibition

This month, New York-based artist Maria Yolanda Liebana brings her vibrant artistic vision to Montclair State University’s George Segal Gallery with her first institutional solo exhibition, titled A Place to Be Held.

The exhibition showcases an extravagant garden, rich with rainbows, flowers, and cosmic imagery, creating a fantastical Eden. Liebana describes her work as a reflection of a matriarchal world where elements of chance, identity, and desire intertwine seamlessly.

In her mixed-media pieces, Liebana employs an eclectic mix of materials, from glitter and mirror tiles to pearls and disco balls, embodying a sense of joy and playfulness. Her work also pays homage to Catholicism and ancient mythologies through symbolic representations like chalices and cherubs. As a first-generation Latinx immigrant, her art explores themes of selfhood and inheritance, particularly influenced by her experience of motherhood. Her pieces celebrate empowered women, depicting them in moments of joy and kinship, symbolizing strength and unity.

A Place to Be Held will run from September 15 through December 11 in Montclair, New Jersey, inviting viewers to engage with the vibrant narratives woven throughout Liebana's work.

Source: www.thisiscolossal.com