10 Questions with Dandi Gu
Dandi Gu is an illustrator, Painter, and Curator based in Shanghai and New York. She graduated with an M.A degree in Bussiness Design and Arts Leadership from Savannah College of Art and Design. Her works focus on the description of portraits and body shapes and include fine art, illustration, installation, and digital publication, which focus on her personal style.
With her works, Dandi often questions herself whether the line has the infinite possibility and can achieve infinite expressions through this possibility.
Dandi Gu - Portrait
ARTIST STATEMENT
“The presence of the body shape in my work has a dual purpose: on the one hand, body shape is one of the most direct ways to express or describe beauty; on the other hand, it represents that the body shape can express emotions and feelings. I believe this silent transmission has the magic of touching people's souls.
Because of my personal experiences, I am obsessed with Dancesport, especially Latin Dance. Dancing is all about the lines of the dancer's body. Everyone will be getting old, and they lose the line sooner or later, and you will never get it back. I am trying to record the most beautiful lines at that moment. By combining the lines, I do best in painting. So, I created this series "Beauty and Power".
As a female artist, I also hope to show women's strong spiritual power and social role. For years, I have been observing and experiencing that women are increasingly valued, respected, and playing an important role.” - Dandi Gu
Higher, Faster, Stronger, Acrylic on Canvas, 2021 © Dandi Gu
INTERVIEW
First of all, introduce yourself to our readers. What are your history and your artistic background?
Hi everyone, I'm Dandi Gu, a painter, illustrator, and curator. Right now, I am based in Shanghai and New York. I graduated with an M.A degree in Business and Art Leadership from Savanna College of Art and Design. In the last four years, I have held several exhibitions in New York and Shanghai as a curator and also participated in many exhibitions as an artist.
I started my art journey when I started painting in Primary School. I later started a systematic art study during high school, which continued until I graduated with a B.F.A degree in Digital Media Art from the China Academy of Art, one of the highest level art schools in China. In order to achieve my goal of becoming a visionary of higher order as a curator and painter, I came to the United States to study at SCAD to finish my Master's Degree at one of the most influential Art Schools in the U.S.
What is your personal aim as an artist?
My passion for creation stems from my inner love for art so that I can give a full stretch to my most sincere thoughts, ideas, and propositions. I want my art to inspire my audience.
Figures 3, Acrylic on Canvas, 2021 © Dandi Gu
In your opinion, what role does the artist have in society?
An artist is a pioneer and thinker. Benefiting from the current social situation, the influence of art is gradually magnifying; the form of art is also no longer bounded. I think artists should present more phenomena or reflect more facts in their works, as well as note what is happening in our daily life.
What do you hope that the public takes away from your work?
Interestingly, I have a small "Guestbook" or "Mailbox" when I work on long-term portrait projects in many cities. In my Guestbook, I received a lot of sticky notes and messages. Some of the notes included messages that said: "I can feel the soul from the portrait." "Thanks for your portrait, I got to know myself again!" "Thank you for leaving the words of encouragement on the portrait; it really encourages me." I realized that I did not just encourage my audience; I am also encouraged by them.
In my new series, "Beauty and Power", I hope the audiences can feel women's unique vitality and energy through the lines and pay attention to their important roles and responsibilities in society. I also express these ideas in my other works, exhibitions, and business cooperations, where I use strokes to show the lines and beauty of ideal muscles, the exuberant vitality, and the inner strength of human beings.
In your statement, you talk about dance and how Latin Dance influences your work. Can you tell us more about it?
Latin as a Dance is a sport that shows the ultimate aesthetic, in which every single momentary pause creates a perfect body shape. It's about resistance and force, the spirit of competitive sports, self-presentation, and the self-transcendence of the human body. The style of traditional Chinese painting is different from the traditional Western painting through the varied perspective structure that determines another way of expression. I tried to integrate traditional Chinese painting skills, the passion showed by Latin Dance, and my understanding of body shape in these works to fully express a Latin dancer's body shape, representing my passion for living and loving freely.
Abstract Modern Women Blue, Acrylic on Canvas, 2021 © Dandi Gu
Let's talk about your creative process. Where do you draw inspiration from, and how do you transfer it into your work?
I would say dance and my daily life are my muses. I can easily recognize and learn from their strength and energy, which pushes me to explore more possibilities. As I mentioned before, Latin Dance is one of the most important factors in my works. On the other hand, people's daily life is another important factor. I try to summarize it, observe it, and experience it. These experiences give me a lot of inspiration. We always say, "Art is inspired by life but it is beyond it", so I learn a lot of things from our daily life and "re-shape" it in my works.
Do you like to experiment with new techniques, mediums, and materials, or do you tend to gravitate towards the same ones?
Yes, I am very much enjoying new techniques, mediums, and materials. I have four works designed for COACH in Shanghai that used some new techniques. The four works are an installation with interactive properties called interactive landscapes. The pictures of this installation are very popular on social media. Ceramics is another new material for me to create any body shape I want. It is also a natural material in which I can feel the temperature, humidity, and other characteristics, that serve as an extension of my creation.
Abstract Modern Women Orange, Acrylic on Canvas, 2021 © Dandi Gu
What do you think of digital presentations and exhibitions? Did you have the chance to present your work to a broader audience over the past two years, thanks to these new technologies?
I think digital exhibitions are a trend. I have been invited to attend some online exhibitions. Some of them have a very professional website that has 3D modeling showrooms, and are very impressive. I think these technologies have more widely disseminated my works and my style.
Do you have any upcoming shows or collaborations you are looking forward to?
Currently, I am quarantined at home in Shanghai. I know this is a tough time, therefore I launched a <15-minute exchange> online event where I invited 96 people who are also quarantined at home in Shanghai. During the 15-minute exchange, I interview them and draw a portrait, in hopes that I can help them relieve depression. To encourage more people, I recorded all 96 recordings and portraits as a message to tell everyone that we have to love our life no matter how tough it is.
After this lockdown, I have some collaborations that will be released, which have been delayed due to the lockdown. The first one is a new collaboration with COACH. As I mentioned before, there are two brand new interactive landscapes for COACH that will be launched in Shanghai after this lockdown. The second thing is a fashion crossover cooperation where I designed the 2022AW series for III VIVINIKO. III VIVINIKO is one of the most popular womenswear brands in China. Finally, another upcoming exhibition is about my ceramics works in which I made 100 cute cats in different shapes. My goal with this project is to use ceramics as another way to present my understanding of body shape and lines.
Finally, what are your plans for 2022 and for the future in general?
My plans for 2022 have changed due to this lockdown in Shanghai. I will finish my next exhibition, which I mentioned before, and continue to explore my new edges in art. Hopefully, I will create more works that I will be proud of so I can bring them back to New York later this year.
