In the project, I combine the medium of photography and sculptures to create both photographic and sculptural assemblage. I use fleshy Sculpey clay to build up altered and fragmented bodies as my subjects, aiming to create a dialogue between the ambiguous nature of the objects and the space depicted in photographs- photography is the pictorial representation of mental states.
In the project, I combine the medium of photography and sculptures to create both photographic and sculptural assemblage. I use fleshy Sculpey clay to build up altered and fragmented bodies as my subjects, aiming to create a dialogue between the ambiguous nature of the objects and the space depicted in photographs- photography is the pictorial representation of mental states.
A cactus
in the Chimney
Project Description
WU Magazine Issue 119
Ongoing Narratives
Ongoing Narratives
"After a period of logistical and emotional changes that have drained her creatively, inspiration comes as a surprise in 2022 for Yi Hsuan Lai during an artist residency: she sets her gaze on some abandoned packaging objects and materials in the corner of her studio, which, illuminated by the sun, resemble a human body, and she is struck by inspiration. Thus, an ever-evolving project is born in which photography recontextualizes waste and disposable materials, giving them new identities and creating a new world."
From Alessandra Lanza.
Photo: Yi Hsuan Lai
How did the title Ongoing Narratives come about?
When I organize sequences and juxtapose photographs, it feels like I'm constructing a sentence in paragraphs, forming a visual language that presents the interconnectedness between material, object, body, and environment. This process echoes the title of my work, exploring the relationships between these elements and structuring a continuous narrative that evolves with each new creation.
When and how did your relationship with photography begin?
My father had a camera but didn't know how to use it, so he gave it to me. Growing up, I wasn't allowed to pursue my passion for art until I earned an MFA in graphic design in Taiwan. During my studies, I realized I had always been more interested in photography than other art forms.
When and how did your relationship with photography begin?
My father had a camera but didn't know how to use it, so he gave it to me. Growing up, I wasn't allowed to pursue my passion for art until I earned an MFA in graphic design in Taiwan. During my studies, I realized I had always been more interested in photography than other art forms.
When did you discover that you could mix different media in your art?
While pursuing an MFA in photography at SVA, I took some courses in the Fine Arts department, particularly in soft sculpture and performance, which opened me up to the beauty of hands-on work in constructing scenes, with sculptures made of polymer clay and costumes for some of my other projects. I wanted to do something more than just leaving images on paper, so I began to combine sculptural mindset and photographic practice, exploring ways to combine them.
How an image of yours is born?
Today we are inundated with images. It is inevitable that our work is influenced by them, consciously or unconsciously. Photography is an elusive medium that defies categorization, and with the advent of AI-generated tools, it can be even more difficult to create something that is truly yours. It is my emotional connection to the material world and the way my body interacts with objects that drives my photography. This intuition leads me to capture images that respond to those sensual connections: rather than starting with a clear and defined image in my mind, it can be a nebulous and indefinite concept. As I begin the process of creating the photograph, my body is involved in the creative process through my touch and the assemblages I create. The final result is always a surprise, an unexpected image that emerges from the spontaneity and playfulness of the process.
Is photography a powerful medium in itself?
It certainly is: it is like a vehicle that embodies the information you want to convey to others, a platform to gather thoughts, a reconstructed device, a social practice, a lost object, a note, a memory, a proof that may be true or not, a piece to form another piece of collage, and it is slippery and versatile but can also be very stubborn.
Yi Hsuan Lai is from Taiwan and works in New York. In her artistic process, she combines self-portraiture on stage, still life, sculpture-based photography, and installation. She uses found objects to create works that speak of her physical and psychological experiences.