Yoyo Li
My works seek to capture the delicate , often disrupted equilibrium between nature and humans . Initially , I explored how modern life has affected the environment , through landscapes and portraiture . My oil paintings of clouds enclosed by industrial architecture demonstrate how we coexist with nature in urban settings .
Prompted by my passion for flowers , I investigated ideas of decay and growth , destroying painted canvases and covering them with fresh and dried flowers to symbolise both the bursting vitality and the ephemeral beauty of blossoms . The framed canvases , though vanquished by foliage , remind us of the everlasting floral image sought throughout the history of art . By recording natural elements through paintings , I question how humans preserve , sometimes manipulate and control the wilderness through artistic means . My large-scale painting , influenced by Berndnaut Smilde ’ s photography , brings the volatile cloud into a serious gallery interior . By presenting the cloud as an art object , I invite the viewers to reconsider our attention to nature .
Developing my theme , I took inspiration from traditional Chinese paintings , combining papermaking and ink drawing to create a mixed-media project . The undulating layers present the complexity of our world , while hanging pieces of calligraphy pay homage to poets who reconnect culture with nature . As my installations encourage interactions , I reflect upon the reciprocal connection between human actions and the environment .
From the blossoming Sakura I encountered during family trips to Kyoto to clouds framed by Shanghai ’ s cityscape and settings inspired by London galleries , each of my works represents a personal experience in my cross-cultural journey . Together , they conjure up the ever-changing , vibrant relationship between us and our environment across time and space .