office x Human By Orientation: John Yuyi
Lead photo courtesy of HBO Max
For the office x Human by Orientation collaboration, we came together and asked our three artists to investigate the idea of “identity” and “self-reflection”, through words as well as their respective medium. Our second interview of this series features John Yuyi, the Taipei native, NYC-based multimedia artist.
John Yuyi, despite her youth, has proven to be a powerful and driven force across multiple creative industries. Though she started out in fashion as an intern at Jason Wu, Yuyi found success as a solo artist, using stick-on tattoos as her medium and herself as the canvas. Playing with post-internet ideas and imagery, and the influence of social media on modern culture and self-image, the artist swiftly garnered acclaim across creative industries—leading to gallery shows, publications, and collaborations with Gucci and other major brands.
As an artist already working to make sense of identity and the post-internet world, we were delighted to dive into the discussion with her.
Photos courtesy of HBO Max
How do you define identity? What makes up your identity?
I guess it's something you feel strongly related to yourself, you have that mutual feeling. What you represent. My background, a girl born and raised in Taipei, is my identity. Asian culture is my identity. Moving to New York as a foreigner is my identity. A female trying to establish something in this world is my identity. Fashion design background trying to come across to art is my identity. I guess your challenge is your identity. What you love is also your challenge.
Do you feel that you present and express yourself differently on Instagram and in your work than you do in real life?
Yes absolutely. I would say when this phenomenon happens on social media, it's a crisis for that social media. Social media is becoming a platform expressing perfection. Yes, people show the vulnerable side, but at the end, you can't be dark all the time. You feed more, cause people expect more. I guess a lot of people have the pressure of what to post, what to show on social media more than before. Me, as well. But I try to be true to myself. And I also try to do whatever fulfills me more. Overall, it feels pretty great. I like to stay on my bed using my phone and doing stupid funny things with messy hair IRL.
Much of your work has been an exploration of self-reflection. How has your perception of yourself changed since you started out, and how has this translated in your work?
I can strongly sense my change recently. I always cherish the emotion I had at different phases of my life. I think I used to be more naive and not thinking too much. It was pure and just an impulse to show myself to the world. It was relatively hyper. At the same moment, I feel like I lost control of what I wanted to do or what I was doing. Now I’m trying to take the control back. The things that never change are—I want to do what I want to do and what makes me happy. An impulse won’t satisfy me. I want some new challenges from myself.
Today, what do you think the relationship is between the digital world and the art world? If there is a divide, where do you feel that you fall? Do you prefer a gallery space, or a digital space when presenting your work?
Umm I think it’s a totally different experience. Yes the things shown in the digital world can spread borderless, but in a physical space you can see the texture, you can see the movement, it’s not a video movement, the size of the art is jumping out of your screen size. I prefer both. Cause it’s equally influential.
How do you stay connected during the quarantine, with the increased alone time?
I was 80% on my own. Sometimes the whole week the only person I talked to was the deli staff. Hahaha, I think that’s why I spent times on social media interacting with people. New York is a lonely city. So it’s not a crazy lonely situation for me. But I think somehow you feel slowed down. And it’s not just you, you know whole world slowed down.
Photo courtesy of HBO Max
In spending time and energy on social media and in the digital space, do you have to set boundaries to protect your mental health? How do you practice self-care?
Yes, I think mental health has been a major thing that I care for myself with. So first I don’t let myself get kidnapped by social media, likes or followers. I will sometimes share my feelings, but I have to find the balance of not showing too much on digital world. Or showing the negativity. Yes you can let people pet you and comfort you in digital world. Somewhere in the world people care about you. It definitely helps. But finding the fundamental problem and fixing it IRL also matters.
Where do you seek inspiration? Are there places, or people in IRL or on the internet that you go to?
Ummm, yes instagram, of course. Exploring new talented ppl. IRL, museum, travel, different cities. Clubs, friends' places. I like hanging in different friends' places, and they will show you what's interesting on YouTube or on the internet. Chill but always inspiring.
What is your relationship to your body? How does that fit into your personal identity?
Umm, it’s a neutral thing for me, that’s why I like nudity. You have it, I have it. And I like that the feeling is somehow mutual but special towards the body.
Human by Orientation’s ethos is to celebrate your fullest self. How have you learned and grown as an artist through your journey of embracing your full self?
I would say I’m very lucky in this journey. There are a lot of struggles, but so far I’m still able to be on the path, I'm super grateful. I guess I found out my desire to do it, and I faced it, and I've been doing it with a brave heart and keep pushing the limits of myself. Cause I also want to see how far I can go.
