10 Questions with Yishi Deng

Yishi Deng is a multidisciplinary artist based in New York, born in Guangzhou (China) to a family of a judge father, an investor mother, and a scientist brother. She received her BFA in fashion design from the Academy of Art University and an MFA in Design and Technology from Parsons School of Design. She specializes in illustration, fashion styling, and VR interactive design. Yishi has been honing her illustration skill since she was old enough to paint with her mother’s favorite lipstick.

Starting out as a fashion stylist, Yishi has worked with renowned photographers and top-notch magazines in Asia, including MilkX HongKong and Harper’s Bazaar China. Leveraging her curiosity, she constantly explores the possibilities of mediums and narrative forms that would reach broad audiences. Mixed reality, including virtual reality and augmented reality, is one of her shining talents. “Adulting”, a VR interactive experience Yishi created in 2019 to ease her parents’ concern for their immature daughter, has successfully touched audiences age range from 8 to 73. “Adulting” has been invited to showcase at NYC Media Lab and featured by XReality Center.

She continues to grow as an illustrator and keeps painting to cope with the uncertainty even during the pandemic. Her love for bright colors and animals has brightened up thousands of heavy hearts on social media.

www.yishideng.space | @yishidengdeng

ARTIST STATEMENT

Yishi Deng's artwork symbolizes the journey that is taken and finally seeing hope through warm colors. She often references everyday city life through her works and explores the relationship between loneliness and inner peace. As Yishi tells the story about a seemingly quiet and lonely moment, she layers bright and warm colors to ease the tension and fear to convey the idea that loneliness is not a negative feeling, inviting her audience to embrace their quiet moments.

The work thus far has used materials and forms that best represent its mood. Inspired by surrealism and minimalism, the subject matter of each piece is often pulled from reality and a hit of Yishi's imagination.

INTERVIEW

First of all, tell our readers a little bit about you. Who are you and how did you start experimenting with images?

Hello, I am Yishi Deng. I am a multidisciplinary artist living and working in Brooklyn, New York. I was born and raised in Guangzhou, China, by a judge father and an opera singer mother. Hong Kong and Taiwanese music and film played a significant role in my upbringing. I was captivated by the film's vivid imagery and color palette. I also watched Pokemon, Doraemon, Chibi Maruko-chan, and Crayon Shin-chan as a child. These cartoons aid in the creation of my color palettes. My hand-drawn characters would cover any white surface. These white surfaces consist of the house's white walls, my father's passport, my brother's football, and my mother's expensive white high heel.

Why did you choose to pursue a career as an artist? 

Art is always the subject to which I feel closest. I adore how you can transform your imagination into something with which others can identify.
Growing up, I was always the class clown. I enjoyed my work most when it evoked positive emotions in viewers. I also use art to relax myself. When I was feeling anxious and overwhelmed, I turned to art. Creating art gives me a sense of calm during and after the process. I also enjoy imagining the combination of shapes and colors. It encourages me to view objects and life events from multiple angles.

What is your favorite experience as an artist so far?

I was thrilled to have the opportunity to exhibit my artwork in cities I had never visited, including Florence, Milan, London, Rome, and Brussels. For me, my paintings travel the globe. Observing my artworks interacting with international audiences inspires me to continue creating. The Cultural Honor Recognition from the European Union(EU) and Italian Institute of Culture Brussels for my acrylic painting "Wood of the Suicides" sent me through the roof. This painting was created in 2022 based on Dante's Inferno. 
In recent years, I have devoted considerable time to assisting my friends with anxiety and depression. The pandemic of 2019 has been devastating for them. This painting was created as a message for them to see hope despite their depression. As an artist and friend, the Cultural Honor Recognition means a great deal to me. Once, I assisted a client in surprising her mother with a new puppy. It was my responsibility to create a painting for the new dog. "Who is this?" was her mother's reaction upon receiving the painting. Next, she was greeted by the newly adopted puppy, which was the most significant part of her birthday present. My client informed me that her mother always desired a dog. I shed tears while watching the video of it.

Can you tell us about your creative process? What aspect of your work do you pay particular attention to?

I kept a photo album on my phone containing all the images that inspired me and captured the emotions of that particular moment. When I look through photographs, I recall the events and ambiance. I then combine them and create a visual narrative that best conveys the spirit. 
I pay special attention to the emotion and atmosphere that my artworks convey. Generally, I want my work to convey warmth and optimism.

Your drawings are soft depictions of everyday life scenes. Where do you find your inspiration? 

I enjoy capturing short clips of humorous life events. While walking my dog, I spent significant time observing others. My favorite activity is doodling while watching beautifully shot YouTube vlogs and films accompanied by soothing music.

Soft and warm colors seem to have huge importance to your art. How do you choose your colors, and what do they represent for you?

I play the music that complements the mood of the images, and then I take a moment to listen to the music and determine which hue best represents this pairing. If I sense optimism, I will use the color yellow. If I am calm, I will use the color blue.

Is there anything else you would like to experiment with in terms of your art career?

I am always intrigued by 3D sculpture. I spent seven years assembling a garment from flat fabric. I wish to continue exercising my expertise in transforming 2D concepts into 3D forms.

What are you working on now, and what are your plans for the future? Anything exciting you can tell us about?

I am currently working on my solo show. The exhibition will be held at the IYN gallery in Osaka, Japan, from November 17 through November 27, 2022. The theme of the solo exhibit is "mind 'traveling.'" I will display five illustrations I produced during the pandemic. Because of Covid-19, I was physically unable to travel the world, but I was able to do so in my mind. These paintings are a record of my mental travels around the globe.

What is one lesson you learned from the recent Covid-19 pandemic? And how did it help you further develop your art? 

I learned from the pandemic to only draw what makes me happy. I spent a great deal of time with my two cats and one dog during the pandemic. Seeing their faces makes me chuckle. Therefore, I chose to draw my pets. When I posted my drawings on Instagram, dog owners began contacting me to commission portraits of their pets. I realized my art could be therapeutic for some individuals.

Finally, share something you would like the world to know about you?

I am a personal finance nerd. At least three hours per day were spent reading the news and consuming financial content. It is a way for me to continue creating art for its own sake. It taught me to consider social events with a critical and logical mind. My worldview has a significant impact on the mood of my paintings. I have learned to control my emotions as opposed to being lost and preoccupied with "trendy" things.

Artist’s Talk

Al-Tiba9 Interviews is a promotional platform for artists to articulate their vision and engage them with our diverse readership through a published art dialogue. The artists are interviewed by Mohamed Benhadj, the founder & curator of Al-Tiba9, to highlight their artistic careers and introduce them to the international contemporary art scene across our vast network of museums, galleries, art professionals, art dealers, collectors, and art lovers across the globe.