John Yuyi and Her World. A story as a Taiwanese emerging artist in the humdrum of New York City.
John Yuyi is a budding creative. The viral Instagram artist may be one searching for meaning, striving to find identity in her works through creative dialogues, just like any other emerging creative individuals. But to us, the Taiwanese, New York-based talent is one lucky charm.
“It took me a really long time to say I’m an artist. I think half a year ago, I started feeling no stress to introduce myself as an artist because my background is fashion design…” Despite trying to discover her identity while crafting her story, Yuyi, as a model slash artist slash photographer slash art director, has definitely embarked on an interesting journey. From meeting creative moguls, becoming a self-imposed artist, to achieving milestones of her own, these traits are what make John Yuyi talented and immersive.
Yuyi, who was born and raised in Taiwan, majored in fashion design in Shih Chien University. She began her creative journey with Jason Wu in New York, her first experience in America. “I worked with Jason Wu after college but returned back to Taiwan to do several freelancing jobs.” Yuyi then worked in VOGUE Taiwan, experimented with her creativity where she exercised them by creating clay installations and creating a swimwear collection.
“I feel our lives are cynically and slowly evolving into scenes from Netflix Original Series, Black Mirror. There are some accuracy to it, which I feel we are living dual lives – one as a digital self and the real self.” – John Yuyi
To Yuyi, creativity is innate. Taking the leap to finally move to New York became eye opening for the Asian talent. “Taiwan has a lot of young talents but our market is small so there’s not many opportunities out there. In New York, you are bombarded by a lot of creativity and I feel there is more offered here, so it’s great that I get to experiment and get creative.“
This determination landed John Yuyi’s to her debut solo exhibition, which will be a first installment series of The Next Gen from The Art Vacancy in New York. Yuyi’s body of work features a social commentary, symbols to individual’s acute addiction to the online world. The work, featuring photograph series of temporary tattoos on skin, is imageries to how the digital realm leaves trails and marks onto the offline self. “I feel our lives are cynically and slowly evolving into scenes from Netflix Original Series, Black Mirror. There are some accuracy to it, which I feel we are living dual lives – one as a digital self and the real self.”
Luck was also on John Yuyi’s hands. Last year, the artist collaborated with renowned names in fashion, Gucci and also, Carven. Just recently, she also collaborated on a series with The New York Times, featuring a 7-page coverage of the digital world with her photography works complementing them.
“This year, I was lucky enough to collaborate with The New York Times, where the newspaper featured an digital issue entitled “Into The Eye of the Internet”. I first received a mail from the art director [Of The New York Times], Antonia. Right then and there, I was always involved in the discussions and details of the original idea. So I come to appreciate all the trust that gave me to make art.”
Image courtesy of John Yuyi © John Yuyi
Having engrossed in both the Western and Eastern culture is important for Yuyi. “Although it’s hard to say that I am an artist because I have a fashion design background, New York gives me the kind of freedom and opportunity to become open minded and confident with what I do. I am free from my mental illness and art caters everything to how and what I have experienced so far.”
“Taiwan has a lot of young talents but our market is small so there’s not many opportunities out there. In New York, you are bombarded by a lot of creativity and I feel there is more offered here, so it’s great that I get to experiment and get creative.“ – John Yuyi
With hope and determination on her sleeve and to making more magic in the Big Apple, John Yuyi hopes that her talents go far. “I used to have a dream list bur not anymore. I just want to expand my artistic thoughts through different mediums, like music video or maybe with a musician.”