Cob.

About the Gallery
Since it’s initial founding in 2011 as an artist-led project space and adjacent studios, Cob has committed itself to embolden and nurture multidisciplinary UK emerging talent. Cob gallery began representing artists and attending international art fairs in 2016 continuing its dedication to young or mid career artists and has since built a reputation as an early selector and nurturer of new artistic talent. Cob’s core programming centres around a roster of UK-based artists whilst simultaneously inviting international practitioners to exhibit in London, often as their UK debut. Cob further supports artists with off-site projects and installations as well as editions and publications. In 2022, the gallery launched The Cob Award, an on site residency programme offered to two artists annually to develop their artistic practice and realise ambitious projects

About the Presentation
For Independent 2025, Cob presents a body of new paintings from Chinese born, London based artist YaYa Yajie Liang.

Liang creates oil paintings on canvas and mixed-media works on Chinese rice paper, blending watercolour, ink, acrylic, and oil. Her practice illustrates an ongoing ontological inquiry: What does it mean to be human in an age of ecological crisis? How can queer ecology inspire a reimagined humanity?  Living in the wake of the human-induced climate crisis, Liang’s works are an urgent call to respond with a renewed kinship with nature.

This kinship is defined by challenging binary notions of nature, in favour of embracing interdependence and fluidity instead. As such, Liang’s paintings merge meticulous detail with expressive strokes to depict interconnected ecosystems in transformation.  Meanwhile, her works are an expression of her Chinese heritage, working with and expanding on traditional materials and techniques.

Liang’s work transcends traditional representation, immersing viewers in a world where human and non-human boundaries dissolve. Her vibrant ecosystems echo Donna Haraway’s concept of “making kin” with the non-human, using queerness as a lens to envision stronger connections and a symbiotic relationship with the natural world.