10 Questions with Yixuan Wu

Visual artist Yixuan Wu currently lives and works in New York. She received an MFA in Visual Arts at Columbia University in 2022 and a BFA in Photography at Rhode Island School of Design in 2019. Drawing from the ungraspable yet familiar everyday situations, she reconstructs and reconfigures vignettes of domesticities into substructures. Her sculptural arrangements address the subtle gestures that endow the objects of sensual qualities, the incongruous systems, and the uncanny. By weaving personal narratives into multiple cultural references, Yixuan's practice delves into fragmented memories through layered intricacies.

Yixuan's work has been showcased at several prominent venues, including the Yeh Art Gallery at St. John's University, Chashama, Wallach Art Gallery, and CICA Museum. She's a recipient of the MacDowell Fellowship in 2023 and is currently an artist-in-residence at Vermont Studio Center.

yixuanwu.com | @yiiixuanw

ARTIST STATEMENT

Yixuan's practice encompasses a diverse range of mediums: sculptures, drawings, photography, and performances. Motifs of heat, fermented food, and smells are among the thematic elements her work addresses. She thinks about art making as fixing the moments of subtle urges: the rigorous algorithm that eventually reverses its own logic.

Yixuan's works are often evoked by this one object/thing charged with unconscious associations. The "thingness of objects," as Bill Brown proposed. She constructs visual narrations based on falsely assembled recollections and their interconnected relationships with "the house". Her sculptural arrangements transform a collection of things/objects that are deformed and repurposed. In the context of the object's original use or meaning, they defamiliarize, pushing the relationship between a stable material and a shifting memory.

INTERVIEW

Please, introduce yourself to our readers. Please tell us more about your background and how did you begin making art?

I am currently based in New York, working as a multidisciplinary artist. My practice has always been intertwined with ideas relating to interior spaces, both domestic and institutional. For me, the "house" symbolizes a realm where intimate memories become fixed in spaces, containing things in between the conscious and unconscious. While my primary focus revolves around installation-based sculptures, I embrace a multidisciplinary approach by incorporating various art mediums into my creative process.
I grew up in a coastal town in northeastern China, and relocated to the United States at the age of 18 to pursue my education at the Rhode Island School of Design. It was during this time that I began to shift the direction of my artistic practice significantly. Initially focusing on photography, I soon recognized the limitations of working solely within a single medium. This realization prompted me to push the boundaries of my art by integrating diverse mediums into my photographic works. Ultimately, this exploration led me to pursue a Master's degree at Columbia University with a concentration in sculpture.

Something beyond the dearest daydreams, 2022: blown glass, bubble cushioning wrap, aluminum frame, glide ball, found garment; 26 × 30 x 12 inch © Yixuan Wu

How would you define yourself as an artist? And what makes you unique?

In my artistic endeavors, I strive to embody qualities of delicacy, translucency, and subtlety. Most importantly, I'd always like my works of art to be paradoxical: to maintain absolute clarity in my motives while embracing absolute openness in my results. I am drawn to ideas that intertwine and readily unravel, capable of articulating the emotional intensities embedded within our everyday lives.
Themes of domesticity have always shaped my artistic expression. My intention is to obscure these ordinary situations, to diminish them to a point where they detach from their original form and transform into representations of something entirely distinct. Moreover, the profound impact of my experiences with cultural displacement has significantly influenced my artistic vision. It compels me to reimagine the concept of "home" in unconventional and unexpected ways.

You work with different techniques and mediums, such as installation, drawing, photography, and performance. Can you guide us through your creative process? And how much planning goes into each work, and where do you find inspiration?

My creative process typically commences with sketches and drawings on paper, allowing me the freedom to explore ideas unencumbered by the technical constraints associated with producing the actual artwork. Drawing serves as a gateway for me to delve deeper into my visions.
Once a clear concept takes shape, I would meticulously plan out the execution of my sculptures. I often intentionally prolong my creative process by modifying, disassembling, and reassembling my sculptural arrangements, and I refuse to finalize my works until I have a series of pieces laid out in spaces, observing how they interconnect with one another.
My inspiration derives from a deep examination of domestic objects and their significance in revealing aspects of both ourselves and society. I am fascinated by their capacity to extend our sensory experiences, providing sensations of touch, sound, smell, and even taste. This obsession with the sensory potential of objects fuels my artistic exploration.

A swell in the drape, 2021; blown glass, hair brush, hair, latex, coat rack, soft tape measure, enoki mushroom, rice, millet, dry grout, concrete and wood. 62 ×20 ×8 inch © Yixuan Wu

Do you have a role model or an artist you particularly look up to when creating your art?

While I don't have a particular single role model, there is a vast and continually expanding list of artists who profoundly influence my artistic practice. To avoid direct referencing, I consciously avoid absorbing too many visual inspirations during my creation process. I gather inspiration from a wide range of experiences, including traveling and reading.

Let's talk about the main themes behind your art. What messages are you trying to convey?

My artistic practice revolves primarily around the contextualization of domestic subjects through personal narratives. I aim to highlight the emotions infused within objects, transforming them into embodiments of intimate spaces and memories. My works challenge the banality of our everyday situations by subverting the original context of these objects.
Every material and object carries a history that cannot be ignored. They can serve as foundations for grand narratives while also embracing the subtle nuances of intimate memories. Through juxtaposing seemingly disparate materials, my artworks disrupt linear narratives and present fragmented glimpses of corrupted moments. I strive to capture instances where memory becomes distorted, reaching a point where emotions transcend rationality.
The profound possibilities inherent in objects greatly influence my practice. My sculptural arrangements invite viewers to reexamine the familiar and question the boundaries of perception.

Soft congee, still waters, 2022; blown glass, cast iron radiator, rice, millet, round tubes, lemon cream cracker, glazed tile and cactus. 36 x 50 × 33 inch © Yixuan Wu

Speaking of themes, what are the main ideas behind your series "Soft Congee, still waters"? And what would you like to communicate to the viewers?

The artwork titled "Soft Congee, still waters" is part of a larger sculpture series that seeks to recontextualize issues relating to aging and memory loss. Many of my creative decisions are influenced by conversations with my grandmother and her descriptions of imagined objects and creatures inhabiting her house. Her symptoms of dementia constantly altered her interpretations of the space around her. In this installation, I imprint fragments of her mismatched memories through the constructions of each sculpture. The uninvited yet eerily familiar domestic objects provoke questions about our perception of well-being within the house.
The creation of this sculpture began with a piece of blown glass and building structures to accommodate this delicate, organically-shaped object. I perceive glass as inherently translucent yet incapable of transmitting information, making it a great metaphor for localizing a memory in time. The corporeal qualities of glass also allow me to reconfigure the ambiguities of other chosen objects chosen in this installation.
By intertwining personal narratives and transformative materials, "Soft Congee, still waters" becomes a contemplative exploration of the complexities of fragmented memories.

You are very young, but you already had significant international experiences. What do you think of the art community? And what would you like to see more of?

Being a part of the art community has been a truly rewarding experience for me. It has allowed me to remain relevant to critical issues happening both locally and globally. One of the most fulfilling aspects is to connect with fellow artists who share similar perspectives and constantly get inspired by their insights.
I also value the importance of art residencies and seminars as they offer great opportunities to facilitate communal conversations. These experiences have provided me with a supportive and enriching environment where I have been able to exchange ideas, collaborate with other artists, and receive valuable feedback on my works. The support I have received from these experiences has been truly uplifting and has helped me grow both personally and artistically.

Isle II, 2022; blown glass, dishwashing scrub sponge, 12 x 16 x 9 inch © Yixuan Wu

What do you hope to accomplish this year, both in terms of career goals and personal life?

One of my career goals for this year is to initiate long-term projects rather than constantly juggling between smaller series of works. I've been hoping to dedicate more time and commitment to a single project, allowing it to evolve and unfold over an extended period. The idea of overthinking could greatly benefit my practice, providing me with chances for more experimental approaches.
On a personal level, I aim to find ways to intertwine my personal and professional aspirations. While I had the opportunity to present my works internationally earlier this year, I have yet to visit those exhibition sites. My goal is to physically visit the locations for future exhibitions, both as a working and a vacation experience. This would enable me to produce works that are potentially more site-specific as responses to the cultural and spatial dynamics of the places.

Finally, what are you working on right now? Anything exciting you would like to tell our readers?

Currently, I am in the production of a new body of work for upcoming exhibitions. One of my main priorities is to explore ways to further integrate the materiality of glass into my sculptural language. I aim to push the boundaries of glass as a medium, and this exploration will be a central focus as this new body of work continues to unravel.
In addition to my material exploration, I'm actively working on developing innovative ways of sourcing and incorporating ready-made materials. By incorporating collective narratives into my practice, I seek to expand the context of my work beyond the realm of the personal. I hope that this expansion will allow for a broader engagement with societal themes.
I am also thrilled to share that I have recently been awarded the MacDowell fellowship, followed by a residency later this year. This residency program hosts artists from diverse disciplines, including architecture, film, literature, theatre, and visual arts. I am particularly excited about the interdisciplinary dialogues and collaborations that may arise during my time there. The opportunity to engage with artists from various backgrounds and exchange ideas will undoubtedly inspire and broaden my artistic perspective.

Artist’s Talk

Al-Tiba9 Interviews is a promotional platform for artists to articulate their vision and engage them with our diverse readership through a published art dialogue. The artists are interviewed by Mohamed Benhadj, the founder & curator of Al-Tiba9, to highlight their artistic careers and introduce them to the international contemporary art scene across our vast network of museums, galleries, art professionals, art dealers, collectors, and art lovers across the globe.

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