‘Duyi Han, Visions of Bloom’ in Shanghai: artist interview
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Neuroaesthetics – the research of how visible arts, music and dance have an effect on the human mind and cognition – could also be a comparatively new scientific discipline, however its outsized affect is already making waves with a brand new technology of creatives.
Exhibit A is the Chinese language artist Duyi Han. A 2019 Cornell structure graduate and alumnus of Herzog & de Mueron’s Basel HQ, he’s had a busy 2024, having collaborated with Dior on a mesmeric iteration of the enduring Girl Dior bag, and staging group exhibitions with Vienna’s 74tharts. And when you want extra proof of his credentials, one in every of his items – Oxytocin cupboard – is already within the everlasting assortment of the San Francisco Museum of Fashionable Artwork.
Forward of the debut of his new work ‘Duyi Han: Visions of Bloom’ – an immersive reimagination of a secret Chinese language backyard via a psychedelic video and furnishings installations, commissioned by the Shanghai-based non-profit artwork establishment Cheruby – we talked to Han concerning the neuroaesthetic high quality that’s the basis of his work.
Duyi Han speaks with Wallpaper* of neuroaesthetics and his Shanghai exhibition
(Picture credit score: Duyi Han, courtesy of CHERUBY and the artist)
Wallpaper*: May we start by explaining how neuroaesthetics underpins your work?
Duyi Han: Neuroaesthetics research how visible artwork and visible enter affect the mind’s emotional and cognitive responses. In every one in every of my main initiatives, there’s a central theme based mostly on the dimension of feelings. I need to venture some sure sort of emotional state or states, and in addition evoke feelings within the viewers. In different phrases, I intention to create a complete aesthetic expertise that has emotional features. The feelings and emotions I deal with are normally ones that actually matter to us as human beings and which might be, typically, what I additionally expertise personally. The theme of psychological well being and wellness is clearly one thing I really feel I’ve to discover.
(Picture credit score: Duyi Han, courtesy of CHERUBY and the artist)
W*: How does your work join inside design and artwork with feelings?
DH: My work connects with individuals emotionally on intricate ranges. However what I do is extra than simply designing one thing in a soothing color so that folks really feel relaxed and properly. I do in depth analysis into how we expertise visible artwork, and expertise locations comparable to Unesco websites, or cultural moments that one could be already aware of, comparable to music. I fastidiously curate the visible content material within the inside, typically mixing and remixing lots of apparent and latent references which then turn into cognitive and emotional stimulations that assist activate the expertise of the go to. I consider my installations just like the visible equal of a musical orchestra.
(Picture credit score: Duyi Han, courtesy of CHERUBY and the artist)
W*: What’s the significance of the title of the present, ‘Visions of Bloom’?
DH: It’s a poetic brushstroke of the blossoming visuals of blossoming processes within the universe that you simply see and really feel on this present. The equal Chinese language title is totally different, however it conveys the same sense of the visible expertise.
(Picture credit score: Duyi Han, courtesy of CHERUBY and the artist)
W*: What impressed this set up?
DH: I actually wished to discover the sensation, or the frame of mind, one has of seeing the world from a better dimension. We people have at all times tried to know extra about our existence and concerning the universe via our scientific curiosity. I wished to attach this curiosity with the try by some artists to attain enlightenment in artwork, comparable to Zen work. It’s the connection between the method of nature and the universe, with the method of human artwork making. Nature and artifice, when you like.
(Picture credit score: Duyi Han, courtesy of CHERUBY and the artist)
W*: Inform us slightly about how the video was created. The swirling patterns are so hypnotic.
DH: I animated and rendered the video myself. I’ve achieved comparable codecs up to now, a few of that are on my web site. The inspiration comes from previous vogue marketing campaign movies, music movies, and video artwork. For the music, I collaborated with two music artists, each of whom are impressed by Erik Satie (the influential Nineteenth-century French composer and artist, identified for his unique, unconventional fashion).
(Picture credit score: Duyi Han, courtesy of CHERUBY and the artist)
W*: The present consists of chairs embroidered with existential koans on psychological well being.
DH: This present is about one thing that has impressed my complete follow on an existential degree: time, and the way issues change. Each the video and the embroidered chairs discover the processes and adjustments of the universe via totally different types of visible media. For me, the furnishings replace a conventional decoration with modern psychological well being content material. The media I exploit on this present additionally examine how vogue manufacturers use totally different codecs to construct their model picture, and the way additionally they typically utilizing cultural and historic references.
(Picture credit score: Duyi Han, courtesy of CHERUBY and the artist)
W*: How has your architectural coaching influenced, if in any respect, your strategy to your oeuvre?
DH: It’s helped develop my ardour for the wonder and emotional expertise of visiting locations past simply the structure. However in a broad sense, I used to be influenced by the eclectic, OMA-inspired conceptual pedagogy at Cornell, and by the craft-and-phenomenology-focused strategy at Herzog & de Meuron. I’ve additionally been impressed by the structure and artwork I visited whereas learning in Rome. For instance, the inside design of its historic church buildings is, in a means, a really developed and distilled approach to affect human feelings.
(Picture credit score: Courtesy of the artist)
W*: How does ‘Visions in Bloom’ stand aside out of your neuroaesthetics-based work thus far?
DH: This present is a uncommon occasion the place structure, design, artwork, and video artwork all seamlessly come collectively. My curator Claire Shiying Li linked me with Cheruby due to its dedication to supporting artists who fuse artwork and vogue.
W*: What’s subsequent?
DH: I’m in India till early December 2024 on the Shakti Design Residency – which connects rising designers with artisanal Indian practices – the place I’m being mentored by the famend Indian dressmaker, Tarun Tahiliani. I’ll be collaborating with native artists utilizing conventional methods comparable to hand embroidery. I’m additionally creating a couple of works which may present at Milan Design Week and Design Miami LA subsequent yr.
‘Duyi Han: Visions of Bloom’ opened throughout Shanghai Artwork Week, at Suhe Haus, 30 Wen An Highway, Jing An, Shanghai, and runs from 8 November 2024 to 25 January 2025. www.duyihan.com
