Sculpture (MA)
Yixin Zhang
Yixin Zhang
Education:
2013-2018
BEng Architecture, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
2018-2020
MA Sculpture, Royal College of Art, London, UK
Exhibitions:
2020
Dirty Hands & Revelations, Standpoint Gallery, London, UK
2019
WIP SHOW, Royal College of Art, London, UK
Queuing on Stairs, Crypt Gallery, London, UK
A World in Vertigo, Brunel Museum, London, UK
2018
Lucid Dreaming, Fangsuo Book Store, Chengdu, China
2017
Degas Art Gallery, VR gallery architecture design, Wuxi, China
All the time, I am always attracted by myth, not only because of the visuals, also due to its highly summarizes and condenses the mundane stories and human nature. It includes fable stories, retribution, karma, and justice. it seems that human activities have already been observed and cannot be separated from certain models. The ongoing stories happen now and in the future seem that could be traced from myth. The enlightenment was not originally a specific historical stage, but the ancient impulse of human beings, which was designed to "liberate human beings from fear and make them masters of nature."
Science and technology serve human beings. And the complex of science fiction stories revolves around human nature itself and does not escape the structure of natural things. Technology is constantly imitating nature itself and making progress with bionics. The science of the future is a Hyper-ancient technology from the past, and there will also have some misalignment of functions.
The modernity is characterized by the "progressive disenchantment of the world." And the final destination of these inevitable human behavior stages, is that we accept the reality of life, accept our identity, and accept the doubt and dissatisfaction of ourselves. Those disenchanted things will eventually be regained and re-enchanted again. It is not just deconstruction, it contains human feelings.
I expressed my criticism of patriarchy, and dissatisfaction with the preference of son rather than a daughter in some areas of the world. It also includes my thinking on identity, education, cultural differences, and the full-time mother's role in a family.
Medium:
Video, soundSize:
4’46”Medium:
16mm film video, soundSize:
2’11’’
Bloody Chamber-Yixin Zhang
Bloody Chamber-Yixin Zhang
Burning the house down”
The work takes its title from Angela Carter’s short story ‘Bloody Chamber’. She rewrote the Blue Beard story, changing the ending so the heroine defeats evil and finally frees herself. I participated in a short residency in Standpoint Gallery and used clay to create a violent non-fiction narrative scene. I added patchouli oil to enhance the senses, to de-stress. And the flaming, burning wax brought movement to the still sculpture.
Medium:
Clay, flaming wax, patchouli oil, acrylic paint, wood, and cotton fabricSize:
0.3m*0.3m*0.3m
ANCESTOR-Yixin Zhang
ANCESTOR-Yixin Zhang
You can take a decision now”
I'm always attracted by myths, because they highly condense mundane stories of human nature. The basic pattern of many incidents is to take a choice that determines an unknown fate.
I cast my own hands and arms with plaster and blackened the fingertips as a kind of traditional decoration of witches. The hands holding different objects, symbolizing different choices to trigger different futures and develop many parallel worlds.
Medium:
Plaster, acrylic paint, wig, chains, stone and butterfly specimenSize:
1m*0.5m*0.3m
Conditions of Love-Yixin Zhang
Therefore, it can be interpreted that once a person is born, they are kidnapped by things around them, to pursue a self-recognition. People are not accepted by others, including even their parents, without any conditions. It is more than a single moment in the life of the infant; instead, it forms part of the permanent structure of subjectivity.
Medium:
Faux fur, PP cotton filler, polystyrene foam, padlock, chain, acrylic spray and acrylic boardSize:
1m*1m*0.3m
“How are you?” -Yixin Zhang
“How are you” is the most common greeting. It might no longer have a specific meaning now, but it is a sign of our life going on.
The Scoliosis adjustment back bracing is obtained from my brother. And this film is a blessing for him.
Medium:
Cotton fabric, PP cotton filler and Scoliosis adjustment back bracingSize:
3m*2m*0.5mAfter constantly shooting it for a whole month, I can feel the changes of it and how it impacts my moods as well as my hormones. The moon holds long-time questions for all humans. I have found that we miss many powerful natural forces and beauty.
Medium:
Video, soundSize:
2’16”
Regain-Yixin Zhang
Regain-Yixin Zhang
Regain-Yixin Zhang
Regain-Yixin Zhang
Part II: After many years, you are so still alive and luckily, the exact same ball returns to you. You know that you may even lose it again. But for a few seconds, the feeling of regaining it, is so FUCKING GREAT.