Biography
Yingqi ‘Puffy’ Zhao is a contemporary jeweler and co-founder of Wanlie License jewelry brand and Wanlie Project artist platform. She holds an MFA in Studio Art with a concentration in Metalsmithing and Jewelry Design from Indiana University Bloomington, and a BFA in Crafts with a concentration in Metals from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Zhao is a University of Illinois 2016 Bronze Tablet Scholar. Her work has been published in books including Handouts from the 21st Century Part III, and magazines including 2019 Jewelry and Metalsmithing Survey.
Artist Statement
A red seed in my palm [enter]
A red net on my arm [enter]
The red darkens [enter]
The red alone [cursor]
I am drawn to microscopic structures of living forms. The idea that how creatures are perceived by human eyes could be entirely different from the imagery revealed by a microscope, makes me ponder whether I am able to capture the reality of anything merely through direct observation and visual reproduction. I begin researching the expansive subject of microscopy from an origin point of cell, while reflecting on what composes my flesh and bone. Instead of depicting the familiar human form that is exposed to naked eyes, I choose to present the imagined segments, altered versions, and memorized episodes of human form from a cell perspective, which are processed by the microscope in my head.
There are two identities living inside the physical me. One of the duo is blank, calm, logical, organized, and restricted; the other one is full, dramatic, emotional, chaotic, and free. I am intrigued and inspired by the process of uniting materials that have distinctive texture, color, toughness, and transparency, which enables me to express my dual identities, and helps me visualize the growth of a newborn from an ambiguous seed to a matured form.
That red awakes [enter]
That red burns out [enter]
Their red sings in silence [enter]
Their red smiles like a child [period]