Artist Statement

26 Fireplaces in Havana constructs a dialogue from the anachronism of objects within the Cuban context, invoking both a past era and an aesthetic sensibility shaped by the assimilation of comfortably validated Western patterns. This work serves as a metaphor for contemporary Cuban art itself—a reflection on entrenched, comfortable positions in established artistic practices that, like chimneys, have not only become outdated but also anachronistic in a visual landscape still revitalizing and perpetuating old narratives. Through this project, the Peripatetics invite viewers to contemplate these relics of past values and ideologies within Cuban art, calling attention to the tension between tradition and the need for renewal in an evolving visual discourse.

Artist Bio

YS CHANG is a Cuban Visual Artist, born in Santiago de Cuba (1994), residing in Canada. Bachelor's degree in fine arts from The University of Arts, (isa) La Habana, Cuba. She was part of the artistic duet Peripateticos with the visual artist Darian Ovies; during this time, they developed a creative process named the Peripatetic Manifesto, which describes their artistic methodology to perform artwork. This artistic research was presented in two editions of the Havana Biennale. She has graduated from the MFA program at the Art and Art History Department of the University of Calgary in Alberta, Canada. Her current art practice and research are focused on expressing the migrant experience through experimentation with language and body using videoart.

vimeo.com/yschang
Instagram: @yeisenchang