Unfinished Symphony

Curated by Jiayin Lin

Artist: Mya Yang

December 6 – 13, 2023

CP Projects Space at the School of Visual Arts is pleased to present Unfinished Symphony, curated by MA Curatorial Practice student Jiayin Lin. A one-person retrospective of the artist Mya Yang, who passed away in her early twenties, Unfinished Symphony delves into the interplay between completion and intentional incompleteness, challenging traditional perceptions of artistic finality.

From the deceptive allure of photographic likeness to the intentional non finito of the sixteenth-century artworks, the concept of incompletion is apparent in the works of master artists like Leonardo da Vinci, Van Gogh, and Cézanne. Yang’s body of work, both literally unfinished and evoking a sense of incompleteness, revisits the idea of the incompleted work and becomes a canvas for active viewer participation.

Organized thematically, the exhibition explores the artist’s self-portraits, the symbolism of birds and freedom, reflections on mortality and deities, and her inner spiritual world. The exhibition invites contemplation of Yang's incompleteness, seen in the work and in the sense of a life cut short, and also activates philosophical considerations of the nature of creativity. In these ways, the artist’s works and life prompt discussions of growth, movement, and the enduring resonance of unfulfilled potential.