Ye Funa, Nailhenge，installation view， 2016
Ye Funa is among the younger generation of contemporary Chinese artists. She graduated with a BFA in Experimental Art from the Central Academy of Fine Arts in China, and an MFA from the Central Saint Martins College of Art in the UK. Her practice, which often embeds social media and Internet culture, is inspired and shaped by the media and a growing trend of globalization. Focusing on the realities of everyday life, Ye Funa’s works are rich in reference and irony, and wittily connected with grassroots culture. In response to Ye Funa’s exhibition Self-Created Universe in New York in early 2017, this interview explores the artist’s transition from research-focused works to her recent practice, which is concerned with participation and “role play.”
Legends of the Wellknowns, 2015
Rui Tang: In the exhibition Self-Created Universe, you presented the “Goddess” series. What inspired you to create this series of all female characters?
In my practice, I have always had idols, some of which are characters portrayed in artwork, others of which are artists themselves. These idols and muses of mine are mostly female, which inspired me to think about how and why they have influenced me. Moreover, each female in the art world is known for one idiosyncratic side or characteristic, yet all individuals have many complex sides. This led me to wonder about and imagine the unknown side of them, and what it would be like if these characters from different times and spaces could come together. This kind of fascination drew me to create the Goddess series.
RT: In many of your earlier artworks, you started the “role play” in your creation, such as in your works Family Album and ID Photo. How has the method and concept of “role play” in your work evolved and developed?
Actually, I wasn’t intending to incorporate “role play” into my work in the beginning. In Family Album, I realized it was necessary to integrate myself into the work. For this series, I acted as my own family members; I am connected to each and everyone one of them by blood. A minor change in myself would assimilate me into them. Through creating this work, I learned that although we are genetically similar, different social and historical backgrounds, along with life experiences, still shape us into distinctive individuals. Besides discovering the significance in creating this series, through playing my family members, I became closer to them and I learned more about myself. Since Family Album, role play has turned into a creative method that I now employ in my works. At the same time, I gradually shifted my perspective in creating, from an observer who often investigates to an experiencer who participates in different incidents.
Family Album，2012
RT: It seems that you often draw materials from the “historical” context and “the past,” and then reenact them through contemporary means. The old and the new, the past and the present, often form a connection and dialogue in your work, in which you are the mediator. What do you think of this relationship and the connection between the “past and present” that is revealed in your work?
I am very interested in studying history. I draw materials from documentation and archives. History leaves us abundant resources, and I have learned sociological methods to research and investigate. In my opinion, one is able to take in prolific resources from history through fixing upon one key point in research. The visual language of my work is influenced by the time I am living in and the media platforms I have mastered. Therefore, it is very natural for me to integrate social media into my work. In the long term, I hope to create pioneering yet touching works. I also want the sensitivity and amusement of my work not be taken away by the passing of time. I understand that keeping up with the present in one’s artistic creation is challenging, but I will keep my progression towards that direction.
RT: Meanwhile, you frequently integrate livestream into your work. Compared to the role play in your work, livestream relies more on spontaneity. As a result there can be a lot of unforeseen circumstances happening. What do you think of the challenges that you might encounter with this? Or would you like to share any interesting stories about it?
Livestream is a unique Chinese phenomenon, which was still a marginalized platform at the end of 2014 while I was working on my project Peep Stream. However livestream saw a peak in mid 2015, and the year was considered as the “Livestream Primary Era” in China. At the time there were about 500 smartphone livestream platforms competing with each other to attract users. There were about 300 million Internet users who began to watch livestream. Then I realized that creating for the vast amount of Internet users would be much more interesting than only focusing on the arts community. Since my performance is based on livestream, I adopted the common aesthetics and visual elements in the kind of media platform, combined with more conceptual performance.
Peep stream the book of fag hag, 2015
I had never done live performance projects, and realized that it was very demanding. For each livestream, we would explore a certain topic. Not only do we write a script, but we also design and rehearse the performance. Livestream and performance are a one-time form of art; there is no way to take back a mistake once it occurs. However, sometimes mistakes do make the whole experience more interesting. For example, my first livestream performance did not go as planned. I intended to create a smoky visual effect with a fire extinguisher but the foam was excessively strong, which eventually gave all the actors breathing problems, so they had to evacuate. So in the end the whole livestream of ten minutes broadcasted the process of the foam gradually dispersing. This unexpectedness is also the charm of livestream.
RT: Since your work often carries out a down-to-earth, even grassroots sense of humor, many people think it is interesting and fun. How does your work compare to other contemporary artwork that directly engages with political, economic and other complex social contexts?
Being fun in my creation is just “packaging.” It’s not that my work doesn’t engage with social issues; to some extent, my work is perhaps more radical. To be down-to-earth is important in my view, and that has always been my artistic attitude. I have always believed there is no boundary between life and so-called high art, and that is why I came up with the series Exhibitionist: Curated Nails.
Peep Stream, Installation View
RT: Your work references Internet culture, especially elements that are believed to be vulgar, exaggerated, and parodic. What do you think about Internet culture today, and its influence on you?
The Internet for me is a great medium and tool; it is very communicative in nature, and it is also a large database. Without Internet, it would be less effective and productive for me to create, such as for my livestream projects. The Internet allows real-time interaction among participants, and offers users candid and direct feedback, which is not easy to achieve when it comes to face-to-face communication.
RT: Are you working on any new project? Could you share with us?
I created a new project called “1secfilm,” which involves people sending in a one-second film to exhibitionist@qq.com or tagging #1secfilm on Instagram or Weibo to participate. Experts in the art and film industry will be invited to select finalists. The winner will be awarded with bonuses and an opportunity to screen his or her short film.
