Yan Yu

Why is the material you are using important to your work?


Since I am at a phase of transitioning and discovery, it is really difficult to pin down a particular material I work with. Rather, I’d like to think that I focus more on the materiality of my process. My work is grounded in research, partially from reading; partially from my lived experience. I find myself constantly exploring new ideas, and trying to understand my relationship with those ideas, i.e what is the best medium to carry out this idea? Should it be my idea to explore? Who are my audiences for this idea? Some of these questions are good starting points, others are counter-productive. Knowing the difference between the two is half of the work.

How does the “concept/ content/ technique” framework manifest in your work?

Concepts to me are ideas;

Content is the breeding ground of the ideas;

Technique is how to effectively connect my concept and content.

What is your favorite color? And why?

My favorite color is grey, it has been since a young age. One of the first things we learnt in elementary art class is the making of black and white and how they encompasses two different models of primary colors (RGB and CMY). I see grey as a color of freedom and inclusivity. Grey is an intermediate between black and white, which theoretically embodies the entirety of the color spectrum; ironically, grey is often dismissed as the absence of color. Grey is the lack of color but this absence highlights other colors, and I thought it was a noble color.