Artist Statement

Zixin Yan is an artist whose diverse practice encompasses drawing, painting, installation, and sculpture. Her work explores the juxtaposition of human temporality and the eternal nature of the environment. Yan examines the cyclical processes of life and death, positioning humans as integral components within the broader continuum of life on Earth. Additionally, she delves into the personal experiences that shape our connection to the land, considering how memories influence our perception of places and landscapes. These individual narratives are interwoven into broader themes, including climate change, landscapes, and memories.

Yan's artwork predominantly features hand-drawn or painted compositions on materials such as canvas, calico, and wood. She incorporates natural elements, such as mountain folds, water waves, microbe structures, and also digitally edited photos of human figures. Painting serves as a vital medium, unifying her practice. By employing unnatural digital colors alongside muted tones on organic fabric, she highlights the existence of a ghostly digital world. Through techniques like loose fabric, transparency, and partially filled canvases, she creates a hollow space within the artwork, allowing time and space to permeate the pieces. Viewers are encouraged to engage closely with the artworks, gradually immersing themselves in the painting installations and becoming integral to the work itself.

Zixin Yan, born in China in 1999, currently resides and works in London while studying at CSM. Her artistic endeavours have been showcased in group exhibitions, including "Reimagining Icons" at Safehouse, London (2023), and "Counterfeit" at OPENing Gallery, London (2023).