Xiaoyue Guo

About

I am Xiaoyue Guo, born in 1999 in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China. My artistic practice emphasizes the impact of cognitive gaps on identity construction, the connection between personality and environment, and how our individual behaviors are influenced. Initiative test for challenging the body as a communication medium of self-awareness and the real world. In this process, people define and understand themselves through their thoughts, actions, and desires within social and natural contexts. At the same time, I explore how to alleviate conflicts caused by emotional or role-related connections in the real world, depicting the contradiction between identity and freedom.

My works vividly portray my personal experiences and reflections on my living environment. Growing up in a traditional Chinese family intertwined with love and contradictions, I also felt stifled by Chinese-style education. To heal myself, I created “Look at Me” (2024). This sculpture, composed of elements like a sofa, old table, and bedside cabinet, showcases the relationship between family and memory. By collecting traumatic memories from family members, I analyzed cognitive defects and used painting to recreate these memories, expressing the oppression in the family. These painting is done on plaster blocks because I believe memories, like fossils, have a sense of being preserved over time. The central pillar on the tabletop represents a sprout breaking through constraints and resisting pressure. Covered with mirrors and figures, the pillar allows viewers to see their own faces, symbolizing their struggle to break free. The transparent sofa features phrases that Chinese parents might say while oppressing their children; viewers can sit on it, placing these violent words beneath them, creating an immersive atmosphere that helps them share their thoughts or stories, providing me with feedback.

The complex emotions in life always make me feel anxious and uneasy, but at the same time, I continually encourage me to maintain a positive perspective. For example, in my work “Sweet Encirclement” (2022), I attempt to recall different moments in life that bring me joy, conveying a positive feeling and balancing my exhaustion and negative emotions in life. I believe art can establish a unique narrative, detaching from reality to create an ideal space within the mind, finding a way to balance thought and reality.

Through my art, I explore themes such as identity, gender, species, and class. My works involve disciplines like psychology, sociology, and psychoanalysis. I am eager to explore new possibilities; although my knowledge is still limited, I am grateful that my works can inspire and resonate with the audience. I will continue to seek the meaning of my existence in a rich cultural context and contemplate how to face the challenges that may arise in the future.