DANIELA YOHANNES The Fall: A Woman's Decent into the Unconscious

Daniela Yohannes’ rich and layered works are full of complex narratives and symbolism. They transport the viewer to an alternative universe where life and human nature are in a constant dialogue in search of a better world.  The dark, unclothed figures, stripped of their social context, are juxtaposed against the black and richly coloured backgrounds hinting at the possibilities of an alternative universe.  The artist invites the viewer to question not only the identity and social context of the painted figures, but also their own identity and position in society, re-imagine the predetermined terms of their existence.

Yohannes’ works are at once a personal journey through the discovery of identity, and a journey in redefining the politics of race. “The Fall: A Black Woman’s Descent into the Unconscious” also explores the emotional power of the artist’s dreams and unconscious. Dreams are a fascination for her. Their emotional power drawing her to investigate their metaphors and language. They are a way to confront and embrace the riches of emotions - from fears and anxiety to desire and euphoria. At the same time, the series is an examination of the artist’s experience as a black woman.

Yohannes states, “I uncovered elements of deep precarity and pain, as well as of radiant strength and beauty. The lone black female figure falling is, therefore, a representation of these many states of existence: as a woman; as black woman; as immigrant/alien when met with that gaze of antipathy. Lived experiences are contributing factors to mental and physical wellbeing, yet not the culmination of the story. And so, whilst her fall is symbolic of multiple sites of systemic oppression; political, societal, religious, economic; during her internal and external descent through these layers of colour and hostility, she remains graceful and whole in herself: a mirror to the dignity and endurance of the black female.”  At the heart of the work, Yohannes is creating a world where she can find solace and joy, one where her words and actions matter and are valued; her appearance and experience have a place; a world of tolerance and kindness, a personal utopia. “The Fall is fundamentally a human journey; my personal prism to untangle universal truths of being