ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE
June 14 – 28, 2019
Sizhu Li
Sizhu Li is a New York based multi-disciplinary artist, originally from China, Sichuan province. She is always fascinated by constructing immersive installations based on her understandings towards human society, nature and universe. This interest was largely cultivated during her college time at the China Central Academy of Fine Arts, where she obtained her BFA in illustration in 2016. After two years, her MFA was obtained in Mt. Royal, a multi-disciplinary program in Maryland Institute College of Art. She also graduated as the Toby Devan Lewis Fellowship awardee, the largest graduation fellowship for academic excellence. Her work has been exhibited internationally in Beijing, Baltimore and New York.
Artist statement
I construct magical worlds in my work. With everyday work-place objects, I swirl together themes of energy, humility, science, environment, and home to create an enchanting experience. A humorous quality blended with blue emotions are embedded in my art: I treat materials as characters; moreover, with binary-coding controls, simple movements are repeating endlessly. My research combines ancient philosophy and modern technologies to craft a form of futurism. My installations and sculptures are kinetic: using basic coding and sensors, the work interacts with its viewers and the space around it.
I believe the order of our world exists in a binary mode, with every corner maintaining the balance of Yin-Yang. This correlates to the binary language involved in the coding of my work. In Chinese philosophy, the universe creates itself out of a primary chaos of material energy, organized into the cycles of Yin and Yang and formed into objects and lives. Visualizing the balance of forces, energy cycles through my personal emotions, thus prompting me to create immersive 4-D images—ones designed to inspire viewers to rethink their lives.
