Beth Yashnyk joined the Department of Visual and Performing Arts in the fall of 2025 as an Assistant Professor of Studio Art. Inspired by media and pop culture, her work utilizes drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture and animation to create surreal narratives and environments. Since arriving at Loyola, Yashnyk’s research has centered around the creation of mechanical movement and automata to create interactive artworks that challenge the traditional gallery setting.

In this exhibition, Yashnyk explores the notion of touch through physically, socially, and digitally constructed elements. The work examines the tensions between individuality and collective existence, inviting viewers to reflect on how identities are built, projected, and distorted. The work examines the concept of touch as a point of metamorphosis, where human and non-human bodies are dissected, fragmented, questioned, and observed before being reassembled into new hybrid forms.

Touch is an essential element of the work, represented through hands, mouths, and varied textures and materials. Using wood, plexiglass, silicone, paint, and animation, Yashnyk layers together unexpected images and materials. Through these processes, she studies the many ways in which touch can elicit feelings of pleasure, play, discomfort, and connection.