I’m Present: My Body, Beyond the Ephemeral by Yali Romagoza

Transformer’s Siren Arts program is thrilled to present I’m Present: My Body, Beyond the Ephemeral, a solo exhibition by Cuban artist Yali Romagoza. This exhibition challenges the notion of ephemerality in performance art by positioning the female body as an enduring trace across multiple mediums. 

“Rooted in my experience as a Cuban-born artist, this exhibition explores themes of presence, displacement, and resistance through performance documentation, fiber-based sculptures, and interactive installations.” - Yali Romagoza

I’m Present: My Body, Beyond the Ephemeral subverts the idea that performance is fleeting; instead, it asserts that the body leaves lasting imprints—on fabric, space, and memory. This exhibition examines the politics of visibility, migration, and gendered labor through performance relics, sketches, and objects that allow the performance to persist beyond the moment of enactment. Textural fiber sculptures and self-portraiture extend the conversation, materializing the body’s imprint across time and form.

The site-responsive approach engages with the Asbury Park beach and Atlantic Ocean as a threshold—a space of crossings and transformation where bodies arrive, disappear, and persist. By integrating these various elements, I’m Present highlights the resilience of the female body and the lasting impact of performance beyond its ephemeral moment.