Jaleeca R. Yancy (b. 1990) is a multi-disciplinary artist originally from Memphis, Tennessee, now based in New York City. Her work spans abstract painting, mixed-media, sculpture, and installation, exploring themes of Black culture, radical imagination, and sustainability. Yancy’s practice interrogates futurism, mythology, nature, and materiality, weaving together narratives of liberation, storytelling, and environmental justice. Her art honors ancestral craft while redefining contemporary identities and celebrating the transformative power of culture, heritage, and ecological consciousness.

Yancy’s recent solo exhibitions include Wrapped in Indigo (2023) at West Harlem Art Fund on Governors Island, NY, Mother Nature’s Daughter (2022) at Urvebu Contemporary in Memphis, TN, and Pigments (2021) at Bed-Stuy Art House in Brooklyn, NY. She has also participated in notable group exhibitions such as Haint Blue (2025) at Equity Gallery, Semi-permeable (2024) at Living Skin Gallery in Brooklyn, and Black Shedding[s] (2024) at The Longwood Art Gallery @ Hostos in the Bronx. Her work has been featured in prominent art spaces across the U.S., contributing to dialogues on environmental justice, Black innovation, and the complexities of identity.

Yancy’s practice has been supported by prestigious residencies, including the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council Arts Center Residency (2024/2025), ARCAthens (2023), and Ma’s House in Southampton, NY (2023). Her public art projects, such as Perched & Knotted (2024) at the Harlem Sculpture Gardens and Haint Blue Waves (2023) at the West Harlem Art Fund, reflect her commitment to using public art as a tool for community engagement and environmental awareness. These projects highlight her ability to merge art with activism, creating spaces for reflection and connection. As an educator, Yancy has led workshops at institutions like the New York Botanical Garden and the Horticultural Society of New York, sharing her expertise in natural dyes and sustainable practices. Her teaching and public art initiatives underscore her dedication to fostering connections between culture, nature, and creative practice, empowering others to engage with art as a means of social and environmental change.

At the core of Yancy’s work is a deep reverence for ancestral knowledge and craft. Her abstract mixed-media compositions honor the resilience of Black life while exploring themes of liberation, healing, and transformation. Influenced by nature, Southern culinary traditions, hip-hop, and spiritual iconography, her art constructs immersive narratives that defy the constraints of time and space. Bold color palettes, intricate textures, and dynamic forms invite viewers into a fluid dialogue where tradition and innovation converge. Yancy’s work resists fixed interpretations, offering spaces for reflection and discourse. Her compositions delve into themes of femininity, cultural continuity, and environmental stewardship, providing platforms for collective healing and introspection. Through her practice, Yancy redefines freedom and reshapes perceptions of heritage, identity, and the ongoing journey of Black life. At the intersection of culture, ecology, and radical imagination, her work is a compelling force for reimagining the future, inviting us to see the untapped potential in materials and narratives long overlooked.