I recently had the pleasure of connecting with Ayiana Viviana, an emerging abstract artist based in Philadelphia. Our introduction came through a conference call arranged by Heather BrownStyle Magazine's editorial director, who believed Ayiana's compelling journey and unapologetic storytelling would resonate with my audience.
During our conversation, I was captivated by her exploration of thoughts, emotions, and humanity through her art. Her work often begins with free-form lines that interconnect, delving deep into personal narratives and encouraging observers to reflect on their own experiences. Eager to share her insights and creative process, I invited Ayiana to participate in this interview, hoping her story will inspire both art enthusiasts and fellow creators.
1. Your work has a bold, structured chaos to it—lines intersect, colors contrast, and forms emerge. When you begin a piece, do you have an image in mind, or do you let the shapes guide you?
When I begin a piece, I am absolutely guided by the energy and expression of the art itself. My lines begin with no particular form or preconceived notion. In this way, each piece, like a photograph, is a unique representation of a particular energetic stamp at any given moment in time.
2. There’s a strong presence of movement in your art, almost like the pieces are mid-conversation. If your art could speak, what would it be saying?
If my art could speak, it would tell countless stories and in countless ways. It would dig through the psyche of the observer and pull the deeply rooted things that have been obscured. From that, it would create parable-like stories that help the observer understand themselves in a new or undiscovered way.
3. Abstract art often leaves room for interpretation. Have collectors shared insights about your work that surprised you or made you see a piece differently?
My collectors have shared insights about my work that have surprised me. Everyone sees something different when they engage with my work, which is exactly what I hope happens when I’m creating a piece. There is always, of course, the story that I assign and attach to each piece but I’m more interested in hearing what the collector sees, feels, and senses in the work, than I am in sharing the story I’ve assigned to my pieces.
4. Titles like "The Surprise of Different" and "They Ignored My Wisdom" suggest deeper narratives. How do you choose your titles, and how do they shape the way your audience interacts with your work?
I choose my titles on purpose and with purpose. I want the titles of each piece to suggest to the audience that there is a deeper narrative to be explored because there always is. “They Ignored My Wisdom” and “The Surprise of Different” are both part of my primary series which was meant to explore the way we are cared for and loved by our primary caregivers but also a fun and playful exploration of using primary colors.
5. Your style carries a sense of structured spontaneity—do you see your art as controlled or unpredictable? And does that reflect your own personality?
My art is both unpredictable and controlled, existing in the balance of these two things. My lines are free flowing and unpredictable while the markings, patterns and colors used, are the parts that I use to harness that unpredictability and create something that exists in balance. I would say that my personality is an accurate reflection of my work in that way. I am a highly emotional and deeply empathic person and those two things can often feel uncontrollable and unpredictable but my response to those things, which is usually some sort of creative expression, is how I control and “manage” my emotions.
6. The black outlines in your work feel almost like a blueprint or a map—what do they represent to you? Are they containing the colors, or are they creating pathways?
My black lines are the foundational basis for all of my pieces. They are free flowing expressions of whatever wants to be channeled through my creative expression at any given moment. These lines can be maps, containers for color or simply an expression of interconnectedness.
7. As a self-taught artist, do you feel that the absence of formal training allowed you to develop a more instinctive, personal visual language?
I do believe that the absence of formal training allowed me to give space and room for my creative expression and painting to reveal itself without any boundaries, borders, or preconceived ideas of what “rules” exist.
8, Your work doesn’t just exist on a canvas—it transforms spaces. How do you hope your collectors feel when they bring your art into their homes?
I hope that my collectors feel inspired when they bring my art into their home. I hope that my art creates space for them to contemplate and discover new things within the art and within themselves. A visual reminder that until we are gone from this earth, there are things worth exploring, even in what we are familiar with and see daily.
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