Opening Reception: Saturday, March 22, 5–8 PM

March 22–May 10, 2025

CATHERINE AND ROBERT PALMER GALLERY

YANG JIANG: I Thought I’d Be Braver

Yang Jiang (b. 1988, Wu Yi Shan, China) is a San Diego–based artist and therapist whose tactile and dreamlike creations embody emotional liberation and spiritual freedom. Her fantastical pieces use light, texture, and sculptural form to convey a sense of vulnerability and resilience. 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. 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.

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.