Muyan Gao
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Featured in AQ Volume IV, Muyan Gao is an artist from China who creates paper pulp works that explore the relationship between sculpture and functionality. With a Bachelor's in Fine Art from the Glasgow School of Art and an MFA from Chelsea College of Art and Design, Muyan has utilized forms and recycled paper to make sculptures that can be used. She currently lives in Beijing and London, where she owns and operates her studio.
Muyan has been involved in numerous national and international shows. In 2023, Muyan's solo exhibition Paper Islands was showcased at Zuoyou Gallery in Shanghai, reflecting her ongoing exploration of materiality and form. Other notable solo exhibitions include Urban Confession at the Beijing Yintai Center in 2021. Muyan's works have also been featured in several group exhibitions, including ALCHEMY at Holy Art Gallery in London, and the 53rd China National Arts and Crafts themed special exhibition in Guangzhou.
In 2024, Muyan’s work Fake Vases was featured in the June issue of Visual Art Journal in the USA. Her Magic series was showcased in the March 2022 edition of Vogue Beauty in China. Additionally, in 2015, she was recognized in the book One Hundred Young Artists of 2015 in China.
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What inspired you to become an artist, and how did you decide to commit to this path?
Since childhood, I have always loved drawing, and later studying art in the UK further strengthened my determination to create. During my studies, I primarily focused on various materials and mixed media, such as cement, resin, and plaster, which were commonly used in my previous works. However, I gradually realized that issues like discoloration, fragility, or weight could be limiting. Through new experiments, I slowly discovered the beauty of 'paper.' It is lightweight, highly malleable, comes in a wide variety of types, has natural and diverse textures, and its raw simplicity draws me to touch and create with it even more.
Could you share the story or concept behind your recent work?
I want to create sculptures that can be used, so they can be more integrated into daily life. Not only can people appreciate their aesthetic form, but they can also touch and use them. For me, functionality is very important. I believe that sculptures should serve people and serve life, so it's essential to reflect the value of each piece in everyday use. I want to incorporate elements of nature, such as fossils, organisms, soil, or seeds. However, I do not aim to completely replicate nature. Instead, I use highly saturated colors and gradient techniques to express a fresh, easily captured, and fluid feeling. To me, color signifies vitality and emotion. Colored pieces seem more alive, as if they are breathing.
What was the most challenging part of your path so far? How are you navigating this obstacle?
I think the most difficult part is balancing shape and functionality, making sure they stand firmly without losing aesthetic appeal. I also spent a long time researching how to make them waterproof. Throughout the process, I constantly refined every detail.
What role does experimentation and exploration play in your artistic practice?
I enjoy exploring and researching materials, attempting to gradually "functionalize" the work and blur the boundary between sculpture and product. The work is "squeezed" between the two. Through understanding color, structure, and current popular culture, I continuously advance the development of my work while maintaining a certain degree of unpredictability. In my work, containers symbolize the multifaceted nature of the body. They represent not just a physical form but also a symbol of encompassing, protecting, and carrying. Just as the body holds our emotions and experiences, containers also represent the external manifestation of our inner world. Through flowing curves and organic structures, I hope viewers can feel the vulnerability and strength of the body, as well as the encompassing nature of life. Every individual's identity is multi-layered, much like a container that can hold various substances at once. Through my work, I aim to encourage people to reflect on their own state of existence, understand the relationship between self and the world, and recognize the roles we play within it.
Do you have any start or stop rituals before creating?
I am thinking about this. Maybe I could have a starting ritual, like perhaps saving the first piece of paper pulp that I intend to apply.
What message do you hope your art conveys to the world?
To me, upcycling is about turning discarded or seemingly useless materials into new, valuable creations. This is what I want to express. By reusing materials that might otherwise become waste, I aim to highlight the beauty and functionality hidden in things we often overlook or throw away.
Share a mantra or favorite quote that keeps you going.
What you can't escape is art. — Marshall McLuhan
