Yiwei Leo Wang

Artist Statement

The multiple personas we take on conceal and reveal parts of ourselves as we adapt to the norm. But in the moments when we let go and allow our ultimate self to shine through and enjoy life, an edgeless universe can be found inside. We experience true freedom. This is the experience of clubbing: getting lost in a multi-sensory experience of light, sound, and even touch. Yet the individual empowerment captured in these collective moments is quickly lost once everyone disperses. The club is both a refuge and a cage. My work projects the connection between the artificiality and reachability of this shallow utopia world. It ensures people's entitlement to being "flamboyant," "fragile," "extra," or even "fake." I make use of materials such as metal, faux fabric, and bathroom elements to challenge existing stereotypes and create new possibilities for individuality.

Born in China and educated in the US, I am a millennial world citizen of the digital age. I witness the influence of social media, clubbing culture, and the dual stigmatization with celebration of "Made in China." My work addresses key phenomena in today's social media and pop culture pertaining to body image, gender stereotypes, the illusion of nightlife, and the power dynamic in sexual interplay. With boutique elements, bright colors, and synthetic materials, I project fabulosity in my works by filtering them through an "ideal" persona.

The use of ready-made items and references to China's manufacturing industry reflect my identity in the cross-cultural context. Today's excessive capitalistic system has also influenced how I contextualize my work in its social environment. I put myself in the role of a minimum-paid Chinese laborer stuck in a pipelining system, to experience the multiple sides of hedonism and consumerism. I maintain a cycle of making, manufacturing, selling, copying, and re-making, as process is just as important to me as form.