Valer Painting

Yiriane Kahn is a visual artist who’s work embodies her multicultural upbringing and brings forth an abstract representation of this journey. Born in the Dominican Republic to German/Argentine and Dominican parents, Kahn spent her formative years travelling throughout Latin America and Europe before pursuing a fine arts degree in Barcelona, Spain. Her pieces reflect the vibrant energy of the countries she has lived in and elicit introspection as the viewer contemplates the impact that environment plays in the development of one’s identity.   Kahn seeks to capture the movement and the connection between spaces she’s inhabited through the use of mixed mediums including painting, collage, sculpture, recycled cardboard, pigment and ink. In doing so she creates pieces that evoke a deep sense of respect for the earth and it’s geographic features. Abstract forms capture the temperamental nature of water, the angularity of stone, and the softness of air. Kahn highlights the mineral richness of Latin America through the use of gold and silver leaf; a testament to the artistic tradition of the region from a historic perspective.   By exploring the impact that environment plays on the development of identity, Kahn establishes that this process is ultimately crucial to developing a sense of freedom: “Freedom is a reflection of interpretation, of what we see and feel, in a life that is full of experiences where only we have the ability to locate ourselves in our own unique and personal space.”