Yuwei Li

Yuwei Li（b.1999）is an experiential designer from China, pursuing an MA in Information Experience Design at the Royal College of Art. She often expresses in the form of interactive installations, digital models, experimental images and performance art.

In a year of learning, Yuwei Li is particularly interested in traditional culture of Chinese ethnic minorities. Her works is based on the mysterious ritual and customs. She wants to further exploring on the relationship between humans and non-human species and nature.

Exhibitions:

Climate 20XX, Orleans House Gallery, Richmond, UK（2023）

Art For Real First Edition, Boomer Gallery, UK（2022）

This is a portrait photo of the designer.

Spider wrap is a symbol and carrier for the Yi ethnic minorities people, Which representing a symbol of worship and spirit. This reflects the attempts of the Yi people to explore the connection between non human species (spiders) and nature. Webs of Precision has designed a VR experience that aims to dispel real geographical boundaries and experience the perspective of non human species. In the space, the Spider web extends to every corner, creating a new connection.

Spider web is symbiotic: it blurs the boundaries between inside and outside, nature and culture, as well as between human and non-human. Let the audience think about how the connections between the natural world are connected by objects created by humans; Explore how to better exist and continue local culture in the context of globalization.

Launch Project

Medium:

Wood Installation, VR, 3D modeling, Blender

The sound design created for three installations interacts with the audience.

Due to geographical location, I cannot directly interview Zhuang people. So I refocused my goal on the majority of ethnic minorities. And I found a craftsman in London who taught traditional Chinese handicrafts to people of other nationalities. I conducted an in-depth interview with her.

The meaning of the masks

The mask was inspired by the indifference of the younger generation of ethnic minorities to the traditional language. Through the design, the ethnic language is emphazised. This state of linguistic communication and the action of ethnic minority people communicating with each other is emphasised with interconnected cylinders.

The mask was inspired by the land resources of ethnic minorities being expropriated by the government for tourism. The shape of the mask is designed in the form of a trumpet at both ends, expressing the desire for the minority people to have an opportunity to dialogue with the government. The government will hear the voices of the ethnic minorities.

This mask is inspired by the unique way in which ethnic minorities connect with nature. The stylistic design expresses the strong desire of ethnic minorities to connect with nature and to become naturalists.

In Collaboration with:

YICRAFTS

Medium:

Wood installation, Sound design, Graphic design

china crafts culture government language masks ritual traditional

Two films are therefore presented, each one corresponding to a world of the Zhuang people - one, the current real world; the other, an imagined world. These two films are inspired by my research on the Zhuang people, and together they form a sort of experimental documentary, showing the present and reflecting on a possible future.

Work description

The Zhuang are one of the Chinese indigenous peoples. Due to their unique geographical location and surrounding natural ecosystem, the Zhuang people have developed their own ways to connect with the natural world through animism. They have created a culture based on nature worship, and for them the tree worship is the main one. According to the Zhuang people, trees are living conscious entities. As a result, trees hold a vital cultural significance for them - the trees have agency over human existence, death and rebirth in the afterlife. The Zhuang people believe that worshipping trees has an impact on agricultural output and animal fertility.

However, the traditional culture of Zhuang indigenous people's adoration of nature has steadily faded, mainly due to how our societies and urban spaces have developed. My aim with this project is to highlight this issue, and ultimately revive the historic culture of tree worship.

Rituals were once vastly used by Zhuang people to connect with the natural world, but how can we retain such a connection when our societies are increasingly becoming virtual and digitised? Through this project, I intend to reflect on this question and invite the audience to join me.

Medium:

Installation made of fabric and wooden dowels with a double channel projection. Animation in Blender and an experimental images.

Size:

00:01:56

china indigenous-communities ritual traditional trees worship

Yuwei Li

Medium:

The meaning of the masks

In Collaboration with:

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Work description

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About

Royal College of Art