Hangzhou, China-born artist Shiyuan Xu has a great interest in nature and is extremely curious about the micro world. Taking inspiration from there, she creates abstract and intricate porcelain sculptures that evoke those almost invisible organisms.
My work is inspired by the research of scientific and microscopic phenomena ranging from single-celled organisms in the ocean to diverse plant seeds on land, and to cells, the building blocks of all life form. My fascination with shapes, patterns, structures and textures of these microorganisms stimulates my creation. I reinterpret these visual elements into sculptural forms revealing the intricacy and fragility of the hidden world. (…) I hand-build structures with porcelain paperclay, and I use unconventional processes to apply glazes on the sculptural pieces. The materials allow me to push the boundaries of fragility and strength, simplicity and complex, order and chaos. Meticulously, the thin skeletal lines are weaved into a harmonious volume.
Shiyuan Xu
More info: Website, Instagram.
