Becoming Venus: In Conversation with Maria Yolanda Liebana
Installation view of The Venus Crusades. Courtesy the artist and Kravets Wehby Gallery. Photo: Adam Reich.
In The Venus Crusades on view at Kravets Wehby Gallery, Maria Yolanda Liebana builds a lush, mythic world where femme power is both exalted and interrogated. Here, layers of decoration and embellishment serve as armor, and fantasy becomes a site of rebellion. Inspired by pop culture, disco, motherhood, literature, and nightlife, Liebana’s universe is at once dazzling and deeply vulnerable. At the heart of it all is Venus—a shapeshifting warrior, DJ, mother, and myth-maker reclaiming her own narrative. In this conversation, we explore the making of The Venus Crusades, the personal mythologies and rituals that animate the work, and the constellation of icons that orbit her ever-expanding universe.
Maria Yolanda Liebana, The Farce of Venus’s Efflorescence, 2024. Acrylic and mixed media collage, mirror tiles, wallpaper, foam, foam clay, sequins, fabric paint, oyster shells, inkjet on paper, glitter, and beads on wood panel. 48 x 34 inches. Courtesy the artist and Kravets Wehby Gallery. Photo: Adam Reich.
Francisco Donoso: The Venus Crusades is such a rich and evocative title. What does this phrase mean to you, and are you subverting its meaning through your exhibition?
Maria Yolanda Liebana: The word “crusades” brings up conflict, conquest, and struggle—and that’s exactly what this is. It also carries a heavy history, one tied to violence, conquest, and deep harm.
The Venus Crusades is about pushing back against the systems in society that try to box us in or tell us who we’re supposed to be. Venus in my work isn’t just a symbol of beauty—she’s strong, layered, vulnerable, and totally in charge. She’s ready to take on whatever comes her way. In my work, Venus stands for power, complexity, and vulnerability. She’s not waiting to be saved.
This project is about showing up fully and reclaiming space, even when it feels uncomfortable or messy. Vulnerability is a big part of that—it’s not about having it all figured out, it’s about being real. The Venus Crusades is about making space to be all of it: bold, soft, unsure, powerful. Just letting ourselves exist without apology.
Maria Yolanda Liebana DJ’ing at the opening of The Venus Crusades. Courtesy of the artist.
FD: You DJ’d at the opening reception of your exhibition, nestled within your installation Venus Garden Disco. Is this performance work a recent development in your practice?
MYL: Yes, this is definitely a recent part of my practice—I’m obsessed with music and musicians. I truly don’t discriminate when it comes to music, I love it all. I’ve always wished I had more discipline growing up to actually learn an instrument, but I can feel rhythm and beats in my body and soul. Music has always been a part of me, and I’ve been wanting to bring it more intentionally into my art.
In my twenties, I used to daydream about being a DJ, but I never really pursued it—mostly because I didn’t have access to equipment. Still, music was always this way for me to escape and create these fantasy worlds, which is probably why I’ve always been so drawn to music videos. An artist friend of mine, who I talk music with all the time, suggested I try DJing, and it just kind of unlocked something for me. DJing isn’t easy—it takes a lot of focus and work—and I’m still figuring it out. But it’s been exciting to bring that part of myself into the mix and into the artwork, literally.
FD: Speaking of celebrating the complexities of womanhood, you became a mother in 2023. How has that experience impacted the way you think about your identity as a femme, an artist, and a participant in culture?
MYL: Becoming a mother has shifted how I view time and my relationship to the world around me. As a mother, I’ve had to be more present, but I also find myself mentally fragmented, always juggling different parts of who I am. I can physically be somewhere, but my mind is often elsewhere, thinking about my child, my work, my life.
As a femme and an artist, this complexity has only deepened. Motherhood hasn’t simplified me—it’s expanded me in ways I’m still understanding. But it’s also shifted how I engage with culture, particularly nightlife. I’ve always wanted to be a part of that world—the energy, the connection, the fleeting moments of freedom—but now I find that I’m no longer able to immerse myself in it the same way or never really had much opportunity to do so. So I create my own versions of those worlds in my work, especially in my installation.
In The Venus Crusades, I’m building spaces that are inclusive yet exclusive. They’re meant to be seen but not fully entered—like the allure of nightlife, where you can watch the spectacle but can’t always join in. That feeling of being both a part of it and apart from it has become a central theme in my art. It’s a reflection of my own experiences, but also a comment on the ways culture can both welcome and keep people at arm’s length.
Maria Yolanda Liebana, The Aleph’s Seduction, 2024. Acrylic and mixed media collage, mirror tiles, wallpaper, foam, foam clay, sequins, fabric paint, glitter, and beads on wood panel. 30 x 40 inches. Courtesy the artist and Kravets Wehby Gallery. Photo: Adam Reich.
FD: You cite Jorge Luis Borges’s short story, The Aleph—a point that contains all other points—as a conceptual anchor. What drew you to this literary idea?
MYL: I’ve taken creative liberty with Borges’s concept of “the Aleph” and brought it into The Venus Crusades. In the story, the Aleph is a tiny, rotating point in space that contains everything—you can see the whole universe through it. I use the disco ball as a visual metaphor for that idea. It spins above the dance floor, scattering light in every direction, holding multiple realities at once.
For me, the Aleph becomes a tool for Venus and her warriors—a way of seeing the world and understanding themselves. We contain multitudes. That’s also where the unicorn comes in. I reference the medieval depiction of the unicorn as a Christ-like figure—pure, divine, untouchable. In The Venus Crusades, the woman is the unicorn. She’s not one thing—she’s everything. The divine, the wild, the complex. The work embraces that: it’s about claiming all of it.
Maria Yolanda Liebana, At Rest, 2024. Mixed media collage on wood panel, acrylic paint, mirror tiles, plastic decals, beads, wallpaper, foam, foam clay, plastic decals, inkjet on paper, sequins, fabric paint, glitter, oyster shells on wood panel. 48 x 34 inches. Courtesy the artist and Kravets Wehby Gallery. Photo: Adam Reich.
FD: From pop divas to disco culture and lush gardens, your seductive references are layered and eclectic. What are the visual or cultural touchstones that were essential to The Venus Crusades?
MYL: A key influence in The Venus Crusades is the use of silhouettes from pop culture icons that I consider to be larger-than-life figures like drag queen icon Plastique Tiara, Serena Williams, Megan Thee Stallion, and Lady Gaga. These women represent power, resilience, and complexity, and I wanted to honor those qualities in the characters of Venus and her warriors. Their silhouettes are not just representations but symbols of strength and contradiction. The Unicorn Tapestries (1495–1505) also inform the work, especially their mythic imagery. The unicorn’s symbolism of purity and elusive power mirrors the way I see these pop figures—idealized, yet deeply human.
I’m also drawn to the kitschy, campy, and dreamy aesthetics that pull in a sense of fantasy and spectacle. It’s about exaggerating beauty and excess to create a sense of wonder, while still keeping the layers of complexity intact. It’s the clash of high art with pop culture, myth with reality, all wrapped in a dreamy, almost surreal visual language.
When my daughter was born, I went on long walks in Jackson Heights, Queens, and would come across private gardens. These hidden, lush spaces—where beauty can be seen but not fully entered—feel like metaphors for the work itself. They’re alluring, but there’s something exclusive and untouchable about them, much like the icons I’m referencing. In The Venus Crusades, these aesthetics are essential in creating a layered, seductive atmosphere that invites you in, but leaves room for mystery and complexity.
One example is the song “Venus” by Lady Gaga. It’s been years since I revisited Artpop, but recently, in the last few months, I feel a strong connection to it for this series. The title song, its visual energy, the lyric Garden panty!, and the way she names all the planets. I love it when Gaga says, Uranus! Don't you know my ass is famous—that gets to me all the time! And the themes resonate deeply with The Venus Crusades. Also the process of both in the art and music studio for that album and her collaboration with Jeff Koons: bringing together art and music. The music and visuals work together to build the world I’m creating—both in my studio and within the work itself. This series is the beginning of really connecting both arts together in the studio.
Maria Yolanda Liebana, Conjuring Her Myth, 2025. Mixed media, acrylic, mirror tiles, wallpaper, foam, foam clay, plastic decals, inkjet on paper, sequins, fabric paint, glitter, rhinestones, and beads on wood panels. 96 x 60 inches, diptych. Courtesy the artist and Kravets Wehby Gallery. Photo: Adam Reich.
FD: Artists’ studios are so unique to them, and also specific to place: the city, the neighborhood. Where is your studio located and what kind of energy does that space bring into your process?
MYL: My studio is based in Long Island City. My studio is in a basement nestled between two music studios. The first floor is filled with artists. I’ve heard the musicians practice for years. My studio is my space to experiment and work. I have been in the building for years and we all know each other. I really love the sense of community. The energy in the building where everyone is focused, working hard, and from diverse backgrounds, which I love.
FD: Do you have rituals you perform when you’re in the studio?
MYL: Yes, I definitely have rituals that help me transition into my creative space. I start by sitting on my blue velvet couch and watching music videos. It’s a way for me to ease into the mood and get into the rhythm of the work. I also listen to songs that I’ve collected throughout the week during my commute—songs I replay over and over. These songs become part of the soundtrack for the story I’m telling in my work.
Installation view of The Venus Crusades. Courtesy the artist and Kravets Wehby Gallery. Photo: Adam Reich.
FD: Finally, who are your “Venuses”? Which figures, real or imagined, help you channel the energy of this exhibition?
MYL: I have so many Venuses! I go through phases, but each one becomes a part of me and informs the energy I bring into my work. Right now, I’m on a high from Lady Gaga’s Mayhem—she’s just a force. Björk has always been one of my central Venuses since I was 15; she’s been a constant source of inspiration. Kali Uchis is another artist I’m always obsessed with. I love RuPaul, Trixie Mattel, and Bianca del Rio. They are huge influences in the way they combine glam, humor, and power.
Sasha Colby, with her fierce confidence and presence, channels a different aspect of Venus—one that is both regal and unapologetic. I also imagine figures like Doña Bárbara, the larger-than-life character from the novel, and then there's Edina and Patsy from the sitcom Absolutely Fabulous. The ridiculousness of these two characters is filled with so many vices, and they are so imperfect. I am drawn to character and people who embody both perfection and imperfection. I am in constant contradiction.
Portrait of Maria Yolanda Liebana. Courtesy the artist and Kravets Wehby Gallery. Photo: Gia Han.
Maria Yolanda Liebana: The Venus Crusades is on view at Kravets Wehby Gallery from April 24 through May 31, 2025.
