In addition to the visual impact of his work, Yi’s titles play a significant role in shaping the viewer’s experience. His titles, often drawn from everyday life, are carefully chosen to provoke thought and create an open-ended dialogue between text and image. His titles add a layer of meaning to the otherwise abstract composition, suggesting a narrative without dictating a specific interpretation. As Yi explains, “More often than not, the title comes first—before the brush even touches the canvas. I collect phrases from everyday life that leave a strong impression on me, recording them as sensory fragments. I treat these titles as part of the work, ensuring they function beyond mere labeling.”
I SEE THESE ANIMALS AS REFLECTIONS OF HUMAN AMBITION, THEIR BODIES BECOMING SITES OF PROJECTED DESIRES.”
This approach underscores Yi’s belief in the power of words to add depth and complexity to visual art. Rather than providing a clear context or explanation for the image, the title acts as a subtle provocation, inviting the viewer to engage with the painting on a deeper, more introspective level. This relationship between image and text mirrors Yi’s broader artistic philosophy, which emphasizes the importance of questioning existing structures and embracing uncertainty.
A recurring motif in Yi’s work is the depiction of animals. Animals like apes and dogs—historically having been treated as scientific research subjects for advancements in anatomical studies and space exploration—serve as metaphors for the speculative future of humanity. He states, “I see these animals as reflections of human ambition, their bodies becoming sites of projected desires.” The repeated representation of primates, with their human-like physicality, creates a sense of both familiarity and estrangement, evoking the evolutionary past and future of the human condition.
Through his treatment of primates, Yi invites the viewer to confront the anxieties surrounding human progress, identity, and reproduction. The unsettling presence of multiple eyes, fragmented body parts, and disjointed limbs creates a sense of discomfort that reflects the fragmented state of the modern world. Yi’s primates, like his human figures, resist easy categorization, symbolizing the ambiguity and uncertainty that pervades contemporary existence.
The scale of Yi’s paintings is another key element of his practice. His works are often large, filling the canvas with intricate details that invite close examination. As Yi explains, “The scale of my work is determined by the degree of manipulation and transformation the image undergoes in the preliminary drawing stage. Rather than adhering to a fixed size, I construct the composition based on what the work demands.” The large scale of his paintings amplifies the sensory impact of the fragmented figures, immersing the viewer in a world of visual dissonance.
Yi’s works often resemble digital or AI-generated art, leading to questions about his relationship with technology and artificial intelligence. Yi acknowledges the influence of digital aesthetics on his work, but he is clear that his practice is more connected to “structuralist and deconstructivist approaches” than to digital art. He states, “While my work does not directly engage with AI or digital technology, it is impossible to completely detach it from the influence of modern technological aesthetics. Digital art is a natural evolution of artistic practice, much like how Dadaism embraced mechanical reproduction. I respect it as an integral part of contemporary visual culture.”
