Zixin Yan

My practice is mainly sculptural painting, in which I explore painting through experiments with materials, displays, and installations.

I have lived across China, Romania, and the UK as an international artist. These diverse cultural experiences shaped my diaspora identity and gave me a neutral perspective among multiple cultures. Art, as a barrier-free language, can address universally significant questions and be a tool for learning and understanding through its reflective quality. During my MRes study, I developed an interest in practice-based research, bridging personal and historical contexts. Research has enriched the context and pushed the boundaries of my practice.

My recent project, “Artificial Wombs—Rethinking the Representation of the Uterus through a Sculptural Painting Practice,” reflects my interest in balancing natural and technological advancements while exploring the female body and the role of the uterus in shaping female identity. This project addressed my confusion about female identity through painting; demonstrated the iterated narrative of the uterus in Western culture until scientific understanding became mainstream through archive-making; and through material experiment, I played with the visual language they inherit to tell an alternative story of a possible future. Art’s non-binary, universal, and profound reach, complemented by its sentimental ability to understand the world, is essential for such a deep and overwhelming topic. I want to continue this research process in my art practice, allowing them to mutually support each other in gaining insightful knowledge and manifesting emotions that exceed the limits of language in other fields.