Hashimto Contemporary is pleased to present Xenophilia, a solo exhibition by Los Angeles-based artist Lauren YS. The artist’s inaugural solo exhibition at Hashimoto Contemporary, she takes the viewer on a psychedelic and surrealist exploration of gender and identity.
Inspired by Shunga (traditional Japanese erotic art) and science fiction, Lauren YS has created a world filled with writhing and cavorting characters that defy traditional categorization or binaries. Animals and humans morph and meld with one another, recalling symbols and metaphors from YS’ multi-cultural background and influences.
Each piece celebrates the “other,” deviants and monstrous miscreants entwined in joyful exploration. YS states, “The concept of ‘xenophilia' expands to promote a ubiquitous enthusiasm for all which is strange and other within the bounds of positivity and consent, leaving the viewer with the unequivocal notion that, in the end, the freaks have it.”