Yesterday Was Hard by YoYo Lander
In this post I share my reflections on YoYo Lander's latest work and snapshots of our intimate conversation about her artistic journey.
When I first stepped into the Phillips studio in West Hollywood my eyes lit up as I scanned the room with an overwhelming amount of excitement to be viewing YoYo Lander’s Yesterday Was Hard solo exhibition. It’s been awhile since I’ve been to an opening reception of an art exhibit, and it was my first in LA, so I was ecstatic for this opportunity to have this experience and reconnect with an artist I’ve always admired. There was no way I could simply make this an event recap so I decided to kick off my artist series, coupled with my mid month newsletter, to give you just a snapshot of the beautiful conversation I had with YoYo Lander as we reconnected from our Bay Area days.
Reesa Speaks to YoYo Lander
I was curious about how she got started as an artist, so I began by asking YoYo Lander about her artistic journey and what sparked her passion for using body language to create her portraits. To set the tone, we discussed her childhood in South Carolina, where there were no outlets for art at all. In response, she would doodle and draw to express herself whenever she felt scared, nervous, happy, and so on—much like how I write in my journal. She highlights and honors her father as the inspiration behind it all:
YoYo Lander:
I often tell people I had two dads in the same body. There was the dad before the car accident—active, lively, and full of energy—and then there was the dad after the accident. He was still just as jovial, but his body was different. To understand what he wanted, we had to read his eyes, and I think that was my first real introduction to exploring body language. I've always been fascinated by how we exist in our bodies, and looking back, it was pretty traumatic watching my dad go from being active to not being able to move the same way at all. But what stood out to me was that he wasn’t angry about it. He was still the same sweet, kind, funny, loving dad—his body had changed, but his spirit never did. What I admire most about him is how, despite everything, his essence stayed the same.
What was interesting about her journey is that YoYo was never on the traditional art school pipeline. In fact, she initially wanted to be an architect in high school. However, after furthering her education at Howard University and UCLA, she was able to explore her true passions and find her purpose through hands-on experiences—something I can really resonate with.
Funny enough, I actually met YoYo during her exploration tour in the Bay Area when she was throwing parties (one of which I hosted) and that’s when I knew this girl would one day go on to combine her love for people and photography into her purpose.
Now, let’s keep going. YoYo shares a bit more to add color to her story.
YoYo Lander:
I started exploring all kinds of creative outlets—photography, throwing parties—and with each step, I felt like I was getting closer to finding what truly brought me joy. One day, I was hanging out with a friend from Australia, just showing him some photos on my phone, when we came across a mural I had painted on my kitchen wall. He asked me to commission a piece for him, but I put it off for about one or two years. Finally, when I had some time, I locked myself in my studio apartment for a month and created the piece. I poured more energy into that project than I had ever put into anything before, and I loved every minute of it. I loved the solitude, the freedom to wake up and focus on nothing but creating. When I finished, I sent it to him, and he loved it. He paid me, and that was the moment I realized, "You know what? I really love this, and I'm going to go for it."
Inspired by the people she met on her travels abroad and her loved ones, YoYo began painting stories in such a way that captures the hardships of humanity and the hopefulness of life. I was really glad she took a deep dive into her creative concepts, as it helped me to understand more about the messages she conveys regarding humanity. YoYo then offers an introduction to her creative process:
YoYo Lander:
I wanted to explore the idea of strength in vulnerability, so I created a series called Time Off. The concept was about capturing women in moments of solitude, where I imagined myself as a fly on the wall, observing them in their most authentic state. They weren’t posing or performing for me—they were simply being themselves, unguarded and real.
YoYo Lander’s career officially took off after her Time Off series around 2019, leading to her work being featured in museum shows all over the world, from Switzerland to billboards on Hollywood Boulevard. By painting men and women in vulnerable positions, she was able to express her ideas in ways that resonate with anyone who engages with her artwork. For instance, when I visited the Phillips studio last month to experience YoYo’s latest show, Yesterday Was Hard, there was a particular piece that stood out to me; it evoked such strong emotions that I felt compelled to ask YoYo about her inspiration for the entire project:
YoYo Lander:
I often struggle to find the right words to express myself, but body language is universal. You can learn so much about someone by how they carry themselves, and that fascinates me. I wanted to capture that in this piece. I usually start with a title, then think about body poses that convey the emotion or message behind it. For this one, I thought about With Yesterday Was Hard—a feeling we can all relate to in some way.
Simplicity. Wow. Even the use of the color green was simple yet added so much depth. We discussed how everything came together, including the color’s meaning—growth, prosperity, and hope for tomorrow.
As someone who is passionate about artist advocacy in my community I had to ask YoYo about the biggest challenges she faces in her work, whether creatively, financially or logistically:
YoYo Lander:
One of the challenges I face is not always having time for myself because these pieces take so long to complete, and I don’t want to rush the process. If I rush, you’ll be able to see it in the work. Sometimes, I feel like I’m missing out on life because I’m constantly focused on the next show. Honestly, there are moments when I hope nothing sells at one show, just so I can use the same pieces for the next and give myself a bit of a break, haha. But one thing I’ve come to love about working in abstract art is that it gives me space to breathe.
That makes PERFECT sense to me as a creator myself. Over the years, I’ve learned that it’s essential to carve out time for silence and the freedom to simply BE, allowing me to reflect and download my thoughts onto paper—or just experience life to have something to write about. Another challenge many artists face is the difficulty of selling their artwork. Yes, those moments of silence are invaluable, but as YoYo explained, there’s also a lot of pressure to produce.
Although YoYo Lander’s exhibition has come to a close, her work will continue to inspire, and I’m confident we’ll have many more opportunities to check out her exhibitions in the future. In the meantime, you can explore more of her work by visiting her website and following her on Instagram for updates.
I really enjoyed the words that described Yoyo and her life. A wonderful artist and a fantastic writer. Thanks for sharing!