Inner Peace on a Budget

In her latest exhibition, Inner Peace on a Budget, Yasha Persson presents a collection of collages in which she has taken old photographs and reassembled them to create something new. In this show, Persson presents a range of work she has created over the years, in which she has solidified her signature collage style. This show invites viewers to consider how, even though these images are from different points in time, they can be brought together to create something new.  

Each collage is created by taking these images and patterns, then digitally altering and overlaying them. About this process, Persson says: "What I love about working digitally is the room it gives me for extreme experimentation. Nothing is precious." Her mindset of seeing everything as an opportunity for creation and change is evident when viewers look at each collage in the show. 

In her piece X Marks the Spot, Persson has assembled various images to create a portrait of a man and woman with a large red "x" on top. It adds an air of mystery: what has occurred that warrants the "x" through them? Persson invites viewers to participate in the story being created in each piece, and hopes that they will stick with viewers and perhaps surface later in their minds. 

The subject matter she sources is also fascinating, with a clearly wide range of photos and images. She has created collages for many years: "I've been collaging for decades, and I've never really stopped. It's just a great way to express ideas." There is a lot of humor in how Persson chooses and juxtaposes images, and she hopes viewers can feel it and appreciate her eye for composition. Her work reminds us to find humor and joy in everything and that we always have the opportunity to create something new.