Originally from Shenzhen, China, senior Yunshan Yang chose to study in America because of his love for the arts.
As an honor student with a major in Studio Arts, Yang was required to propose and create a thesis project and display it in a public space. If you’ve been to the Art and Music Library recently, you’ve probably already seen it. His project is an installation art display called Envy.
What makes Yang’s installation really stand out is his use of all five senses. “The only thing I’m missing right now is taste, but hopefully I will be able to incorporate food for the reception,” Yang said.
Upon entering the gallery, you will either run into or avoid a small group of bells hanging from a piece of red yarn and become immersed in a fragrance similar to potpourri. You’ll notice that red rows of yarn wind across the entire ceiling, supporting a cube hanging from the center, which itself supports pieces of mirror suspended by string. Yang designed the installation to feel like a temple, so on the right side of the floor, you will find a wooden box with delicate tan confetti resembling fluffy sand and a row of flowers on top. This is typically where a temple-goer would kneel in a real temple. In front of the box sits five glass jars, each representing a different gift to the gods. On the opposing wall hangs pieces of board waiting to be turned over to reveal a wish to the gods in hopes that they will respond. The suspended cube in the middle of the room represents the human brain, and the red yarn represents human thoughts leading to the brain’s neural network. The mirrors in the “brain” reflect off every wall, symbolizing our consciousness and ability to self-reflect.
The purpose of Envy is revealed on three different levels: First, it is personal to Yang. As a child, his parents constantly compared him to his peers, and told him they were better. “Envy is an emotion that impacts me very much. [My parents] loved to compare me to my neighbors, or my friends… I feel some anger, but I do admit it, and it empowers me to want to do something better.” Yang aimed to bring this envy to the societal level, and while he recognizes the darkness of the emotion, he also believes that it is the same dark envy that drives our democracy. Consequently, this societal envy is necessary for humans on a global level because it makes us desire to be the best version of ourselves. According to Yang, “without envy, we would not prosper.”
The most rewarding part of the project, for Yang, is the reactions that people have when they walk in the gallery. He warned, however, that creating an installation like his for a senior thesis is hard work. “I suggest starting early, I think the best time to start it is the spring semester of junior year. People should start thinking about concept development and write the proposal.” He also recommended being aware of the practicalities of budgeting supplies and time management. The University was able to provide Yang with a budget of $200, but he also requested a sponsor who is able to provide food for the reception, the taste aspect of the installation. As for time management, Yang confessed, “It’s very time consuming… luckily, last semester I only had three classes, and this semester I only have two, so I have lots of time to do the show.”
Yang noted that, now, more students study art because they love it and not just because they want a college degree. This is a trend that Yang hopes to see continue in the future.
“Chinese parents worry about if their child will get a financially optimized future. [The parents] don’t believe [students] will have a successful career in art because it’s kind of unpredictable. So lots of very talented students just stop studying art. But I feel like here, [the students] don’t need to be an art major or do something related to art in the future, but they have a potential. If you want to do art, you have the chance to learn.”
Yang’s installation will be on display in the art and music gallery until February 20th.
The reception is open to the public and will take place Thursday, February 4th at 5:30 pm in the Gallery.
For more information on the the artist, click here.
*Images of the installation provided by Yunshan Yang.