Dr Ziyang Chen

About

b.1992 China, lives and works in London, UK

From a background in electrical engineering and construction industry, Ziyang’s practice focuses primarily on sculpture. He conceptualises contemporary masculinity and the ‘male-to-male’ gaze of being smooth and hairless; exploring ideas of being submissive and dominate, danger, violence, desire, power and beauty hierarchy in the queer community from an East Asian queer perspective; rejecting the stereotypical image of East Asian queers as soft, submissive and feminine in western society; deconstructing and constructing of social norms and boundaries in addition to opposing and contrasting force.

Having lived in the London since 2013, Ziyang has developed an integral insight into the likenesses and contradictions of both Chinese and British culture. He merges his own experience and memories to explore the queer sexuality and identity. Due to the soft, submissive and feminine stereotyping images, East Asian queer suffers more sexual harassment in the public, and more sex abuse in the same sex relationship.

Due to his work experience, Ziyang collects and uses abandoned materials from construction site. Combining acrylic pearls with solid and heavy construction materials to achieve fragile, broken and eroded feeling in his practice. He also explores the political and social relation between textiles art with queerness by using non-gendered eco-friendly new material (silicone leather) and creating intimate scenarios.

Ziyang obtained his previous Masters and PhD degree in Electrical Engineering from King’s College London.

Location: Hampstead, London
IG: @its.ziyang
Email: dr.chen.ziyang@gmail.com