A mixed media painter and printmaker based in NYC/NJ, Bella Ybarra pulls influence from street art, skate culture, and tattooing. Combining acrylics, spray paint, and silkscreen, Ybarra’s work is elevated by the social and political implications of the media.
Ybarra’s punk diy attitude translates directly into the contextual attitude of their work. Through the use of grommets, rope, and icons such as barbed wire, chains, and chain link fences, Ybarra accomplishes a sense of urbanism that is reminiscent of street skating culture and punk inspired fashion. The use of vulnerable, personal content along with rough, presumed masculine materials -such as metal, concrete, and plywood – elaborate upon the idea of maintaining and protecting an emotional toughness in a misogynistic environment. Inspired by artists such as Raymond Pettibon, Yoshitomo Nara, Nikki De Saint Phalle, and the Guerilla Girls, Ybarra utilizes handwritten text to evoke anarchy, reclamation, and control.
The pre-consumed “hyper-femme” palette of acidic pinks, purples, metallics, and
iridescents emphasize the bold and confrontational essence of Ybarra’s works.
Insta: @isa.ybarra
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