Six questions for
Yi Zhang

Tique asks six questions to an artist about their work and inspiration.
This week: Yi Zhang.

Artist Yi Zhang
Lives in Amsterdam, Netherlands
Website https://yizhang.xyz/

How do you describe your own art practice?

I always use materials that I can find in my daily life. Most of people can also find those in their own daily life. Those things could bring some familiar feeling to people. I believe that if I spend time on some objects while touching it or look at it will make it special. It could be a plate, a chair, even one single hair. Then I make small changes on these familiar objects to bring some conflict in the scene.

Which question or theme is central in your work?

Feel the love and share the love. I am interested in making connections between people and each-others, people and objects, people and space. I want to make people also myself to be aware of the power of carelessness. I tried to heal myself in the process and I want to pass the energy to others if I can.

What was your first experience with art?

I have no siblings, when I was little, both of my parents had to go to work, they chose to lock me in the apartment and give me some blank paper and pens. I spent a lot of days like that, I felt comfortable making drawings and drawing a lot.

What is your greatest source of inspiration?

Walking around on street alone or traveling without aiming. All the things around me could be my inspiration. I would love to put my reflection on my surrounding. 

What do you need in order to create your work?

I need to make myself feel comfortable, now I am sitting in a cardboard box with my laptop.

What work or artist has most recently surprised you? 

I have been reading some thesis recently. I read a thesis called The Island of Strangers from CHEN JHEN which is about the Identity of Taiwanese. her work has a very different approach compared to mine. I am also discovering my identity and culture in my new project hair connections. This thesis is very delicate and surprising to me.

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