Zhixuan Ye

ZHIXUAN YE

ZHIXUAN YE'S JEWELLERY CONFRONTS societal norms, EXPLORING consumerism, feminism, AND empowerment. USING MATERIALS LIKE LIPSTICK, SHE critiques societal beauty standards. HER WORK CHALLENGES VIEWERS TO RECONSIDER IDENTITY AND EMPOWERMENT IN A CONSUMERIST SOCIETY.

ARTISIT STATEMENT

I am a contemporary jewellery artist with a keen interest in conveying my unique perspective on various social phenomena through my jewellery pieces. This series encompasses lipsticks, crowns, female symbols, and explores the contrasts between illusion and reality.

In one of my videos, I document the destruction of elaborate lipstick crowns, aiming to expose the illusions perpetuated by consumerism. This prompts me to question the marketing strategies surrounding female empowerment in the makeup industry. I extract lipstick, a product often used to define women, and repurpose it into a material for my empowering pieces. I believe that lipstick should not dictate a woman's identity instead, women should reclaim the power to define themselves.

Amidst the chaotic vandalism, I earnestly proclaim, 'Welcome to the real world!' I highlight the necessity for women to pursue genuine rights rather than relying on false empowerment through makeup.

ARTWORK STATEMENT

"Anti-consumerism for Women" is a compelling video piece that captures the destruction of elaborate lipstick crowns, symbolising the disillusionment with the illusions perpetuated by consumerism and societal expectations. Through this work, the artist Zhixuan Ye aims to shed light on the complex interplay between female empowerment, consumer culture, and the dichotomy of reality and illusion.

This video piece serves as a poignant exploration of themes such as feminism, consumerism, and the blurred lines between reality and fantasy. By deconstructing the symbolism of lipstick crowns, the artist challenges the viewer to question the authenticity of the empowerment narratives propagated by the makeup industry.

"Anti-consumerism for Women" is a thought-provoking addition to exhibitions exploring themes related to feminism, consumer culture, and the juxtaposition of reality and illusion. It invites viewers to critically reflect on the societal constructs that shape perceptions of beauty, power, and identity.

Your work often delves into social phenomena and critiques societal norms. What drives you to explore these themes through your art?

I tend to explore the social phenomena I observe in my daily life and which provoke deep thought through the medium of contemporary jewellery. Jewellery is closely linked with the human body, often evoking emotional resonance when worn, prompting individuals to ponder their choices in selection and wear. I have a particular appreciation for the unique interactivity of jewellery, believing that by enhancing this aspect, viewers can gain a deeper understanding of my viewpoints. Additionally, viewers can provide feedback through interaction with the jewellery, making such exchanges both intriguing and meaningful.

Your pieces seamlessly integrate various materials and mediums. Could you elaborate on how you choose these materials to interpret your themes?

In the case of my project "Anti-consumerism," the process of material selection was meticulous and driven by the thematic essence I aimed to convey. Initially, my research question is how to use contemporary jewellery to expose the false illusion created by consumerism for females. To establish a foundational framework, I conducted a questionnaire targeting multicultural females aged 15-30 years old. The questionnaire aimed to identify the quintessential emblem of consumerism within female-oriented products, along with the rationale behind their selection. Subsequently, based on the survey findings, the makeup product, particularly lipstick, emerged as the predominant symbol of consumerist culture.

To further refine my thematic exploration, extensive background research encompassing the intersection of cosmetics and feminism was conducted. This preliminary investigation informed subsequent material experimentation, directing lipstick as the prime material for articulating my thematic discourse. I firmly believe that materiality serves as the cornerstone of artistic expression, necessitating utmost relevance to the overarching thematic narrative. Therefore, the selection of lipstick as a material resonates profoundly with the thematic underpinning of my project, forging a poignant connection between the chosen medium and the conceptual framework.

You mentioned creating captivating artistic experiences through interaction with your audience. How do you envision viewers engaging with your work?

In fact, this video artwork offers both visual and auditory experiences. Although the video depicts me destroying these crowns, my intention is for the audience to engage in this destruction, aiming to expose the illusion of consumerism and unveil the truth of female empowerment. At one exhibition, I displayed physical artworks crafted from genuine cosmetic lipsticks. Attendees were encouraged to freely touch, smell, and even disrupt my creations. Furthermore, they could interact with the "Crown in mirror" through a makeup mirror, enhancing their understanding of the deceptive nature of these unwearable crowns. This piece provides audiences with multi-sensory experiences, engaging them on a deeper level through visual, auditory, tactile, and olfactory stimuli.

Your artwork has been exhibited in various countries. How does the international reception of your work influence your artistic practice?

I am deeply honoured by this. Witnessing my artwork gain wider recognition on the international stage gives me a sense of satisfaction. This sense of achievement motivates me to be more active in my creative endeavours. However, I would like to keep excessive praise of this issue under control and would ask that this issue and my response not be mentioned in the presentation.

In your video piece "Anti-consumerism for Women," you explore the intersection of feminism and consumer culture. Can you discuss the inspiration behind this work and its intended message?

This work is inspired by my daily life observations of phenomena that can be seen everywhere that closely associate women with consumer behaviour. For example, the alienation of International Women's Day into a festival of female consumption, and the female empowerment marketing of "the more beautiful, the stronger" constructed in cosmetic culture. I am offended by the idea of tying female empowerment to consumer behaviour, which I see as a fundamentally illogical sophistry. I have had discussions with many female consumers who were not aware of this phenomenon, and they have gained a deeper understanding of it as they have learnt about it and shared my views. This prompted me to want to spread my ideas to a wider audience through my artwork.

Your statement emphasises the empowerment of women to define themselves beyond societal expectations. How do you hope your art contributes to this narrative of self-definition and empowerment?

My work emphasises the empowerment of women to define themselves autonomously beyond the expectations set by consumerism. Through my artwork and research, I hope to help women break free from consumerism and remove the barriers to their self-empowerment. Consumerism often tries to represent beauty and women's rights in terms of consumer behaviour, which I believe is wrong. Therefore, I hope that my artwork will recognise a false option for women and remove the barriers in their path to self-empowerment.

The destruction of lipstick crowns in your video piece carries symbolic weight. How do you approach symbolism in your artwork, and what do these symbols represent to you?

In my artwork "Anti-consumerism for women," the destruction of the lipstick crown is seen as a crucial step, symbolising women's breaking through the glamorous facade of consumerism and seeking a genuine path to empower women. This symbolism is imbued with hope and positive energy. In the critical realm of art which I am familiar, I believe that every element carries symbolic significance and should be refined to contribute to the interpretation of the theme, thus better conveying the artist's intent.

Could you walk us through your creative process, from conceptualization to execution, particularly when working on pieces that challenge societal norms?

When it comes to creating work that challenges societal norms, in-depth preliminary research is very important. I strongly believe that objectivity is crucial and should never be guided by personal bias. After realising that there was a consumerist phenomenon concerning women, I conducted extensive data collection and research to gain an in-depth understanding of my subject before I began to create my work. I would extract keywords from the research, then choose related design elements and materials to experiment with, and think about how to further enhance them by making test pieces. My creative process is a continuous spiral, so my works rarely have a true final version and they can evolve continuously. At the same time, creating works that challenge social norms requires creators to be very conscious of human rights. For example, when conducting interviews, I will never intentionally lead or disrespect an interviewee for having a different point of view.

How do you anticipate viewers will respond to your exploration of themes such as feminism and consumerism? What reactions or reflections do you hope to evoke through your art?

I anticipate that the audience will respond to my exploration of feminist and consumerist themes by becoming more cognizant of the inherent contradiction and hypocrisy within the grand marketing campaigns of the cosmetics industry, particularly in relation to female empowerment. I hope that viewers will perceive all the crowns in my artwork as false symbols of empowerment that need to be dismantled, thus realising that the marketing efforts of the cosmetics industry, purportedly championing female empowerment, are ultimately disingenuous. Based on my research findings, notably regarding leading brands like Dior Beauty, some cosmetic companies exploit feminism merely as a marketing ploy, rather than genuinely supporting women's empowerment. It is important to clarify that my critique is directed towards these capitalist entities leveraging feminism, rather than towards the female consumers of cosmetics. Through my work, I aim to prompt reflection among these cosmetic brands regarding their marketing strategies concerning female empowerment.

As you continue to evolve as an artist, what new themes or concepts are you interested in exploring in your upcoming works?

I have been exploring methods of incorporating humour into my critical satire recently. I believe that humour serves as a means to penetrate the psyche of the audience more effectively, enabling them to more easily embrace my perspectives. Additionally, I am keen on developing and enhancing the interactivity between jewellery and the audience in terms of wearing.

ARTIST BIO

CONTEMPORARY JEWELLERY ARTIST ZHIXUAN YE'S WORK IS INSPIRED BY social phenomena, OFTEN REVOLVING AROUND themes of irony and critique. SHE OFFERS A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE ON THE WORLD, USING ART AS A MEANS TO EXPRESS HER THOUGHTS AND VIEWPOINTS ON society. WITH A FOCUS ON EXPLORING THE INFINITE POSSIBILITIES BETWEEN materials and mediums TO INTERPRET VARIOUS THEMES, SHE SEAMLESSLY INTEGRATES THEM INTO HER CREATIONS. THROUGH MULTIPLE FORMS OF interaction between her work and the audience, SHE CRAFTS CAPTIVATING ARTISTIC EXPERIENCES.

ZHIXUAN YE'S PIECES HAVE BEEN EXHIBITED IN THE UK, CHINA, ITALY, AND OTHER LOCATIONS, AND SHE REMAINS ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN HER PRACTICE.

REVIEW

Zhixuan Ye's artistic practice is a compelling exploration of societal norms, consumerism, and feminism, woven together with thought-provoking symbolism and meticulous craftsmanship. Her series "Anti-consumerism for Women" stands out as a poignant critique of the illusions perpetuated by consumer culture, particularly within the realm of female empowerment.

Through her video documentation, Ye captures the destruction of elaborate lipstick crowns, effectively dismantling the superficial ideals propagated by the cosmetics industry. This act of destruction serves as a powerful metaphor for breaking through the veneer of consumerism and reclaiming genuine empowerment. The juxtaposition of the destruction with the artist's proclamation, "Welcome to the real world!" underscores the urgency of this message, urging viewers to confront the realities obscured by glossy marketing campaigns.

Ye's approach to material selection is particularly noteworthy, with lipstick emerging as a potent symbol of societal expectations and the commodification of beauty. By repurposing lipstick into her empowering pieces, she challenges the notion that external adornments should define a woman's identity, advocating instead for autonomy and self-definition. Ye offers valuable insights into her creative process, emphasising the importance of thorough research and objective exploration of themes. Her commitment to engaging viewers through multi-sensory experiences, such as touch and smell, demonstrates a nuanced understanding of the power of art to provoke introspection and dialogue.

Overall, Zhixuan Ye's work serves as a thoughtprovoking commentary on the complex interplay between gender, consumerism, and identity. Through her innovative use of materials and keen conceptual framework, she invites viewers to question societal norms and envision a more authentic path to empowerment.