Bio
Tan Yubing is an artist based in Chengdu, China. She graduated from School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2020 (MFA, majoring Fiber and Material Studies). She creates puppets, sculptures, videos, installations and fabric works. She believes in the power of softness and the meditative process of craft-making. In 2022, Yubing established The Pond gallery at 113 Jitai Road, Chengdu, China. She aims to create a safe space for young artists in China and empower the local community there. Yubing is an awardee of the Prince Claus Seed Awards 2022.
Email: bingbingtan126@gmail.com
Instagram: ant_tan
Statement
I intend to create a parallel reality in my works consisting of puppets, textiles, videos, sculptures, and installations. Drawing inspiration from my environmental and social context, I explore the flow of power dynamics between different individuals or within a larger system.
My work is highly concerned with materials and the process. I use raw materials, and through ways of manipulation and construction, I enjoy creating something out of nothing. The process of making the work is as crucial as the outcome of it. My repeated hand gestures are a performative approach. I value craft and labor.
I apply cuteness (also anti-cuteness), humor, sarcasm, and horror, I work with aesthetics of both pleasure and displeasure. Texts and words are embedded in my work to picture the context of the visual outcome. I write profiles for characters I designed, compose poems, write fictional stories, and also record my reflections and thoughts. I aim to make works that represent collective emotions and memories.
Through the use of a variety of mediums and implied narratives, the construction of my artistic reality is growing. Instead of visual work, I am also committed to socially engaged projects, participation, and more.
Tan Yubing Works 2019-2022 download zine