Wandering in the Garden, Waking from a Dream
2023
Medium: Wood
Size: 170 x 120 x 120cm
Yichen has gathered aged carved wooden panels, which have hundred years of history, from the remnants of demolished ancient Chinese architecture. She meticulously restores, grinds, polishes, and colors them before combining them with contemporary wood carving techniques to form new spatial and architectural forms. She intends to challenge the aesthetic paradigm of traditional Chinese aesthetics by critically reconstructing and developing the old forms, aiming to create a new and undefined effect full of possibilities, waiting to be recognized and interpreted.
The conflicts arising from multiculturalism have prompted her to deeply contemplate her identity and individual existence. She has explored themes such as shelter, a sense of belonging, and home. She perceives this work as a reflection of her unseen wounds, symbolizing both her search for refuge and the need for communication.
Artist statment
Yichen Li currently based in London, originally from Shanghai, China. She completed the master degree at the Royal College of Art in 2023 as a scholarship recipient. She practice revolves around the sculpture, moving image and poetry. Her work is grounded in traditional Chinese aesthetics, focusing on identity issue in a cross-cultural context, the shelter, belonging, home, memory, and the relationship between architecture and sculpture.