1) Can you introduce yourself? Where are you from? Where did you study art? When did you first consider yourself an artist?
My name is Yifan Qian, I am from China, I graduated from the Rochester Institute of Technology with an MFA in Fine Arts Studio. I have always had a dream of being an artist, and I moved to New York. From the point that I created some works that I recognized as my own and was selected for some exhibitions, I began to see myself as an artist.
2) What is the main motivation for your creation? Why are you a figurative painter, rather than an abstract or non-figurative artist?
My main motivation for creation is my emotional drive. I think the process of creating art is a process of self-healing. I need to reduce my anxiety and emptiness through creating art.
I don’t define myself as a figurative artist. This is just my temporary way of expression. My style will change according to my life status and inner state. It’s just that in my current situation; a more figurative expression can better express my feelings.
3) If your paintings are mainly self-portraits, how do you hope to make more viewers resonate or resonate with your works and/or views?
My self-portraits are not just about expressing myself, but also about people of my same identity and situation. I am expressing a collective emotion, as a Chinese in the United States, as a woman, and as an artist. At the same time, I also want to connect with other people and the universe through my works.
4) Can you talk about your style as a painter? Why do you keep the form and color semi-realistic instead of abstracting them or exaggerating the style? How do you get the colors in your works?
I rarely analyze my own style, and I don’t think I am deliberately cultivating a certain style. I just want to seek an artistic expression that makes me feel comfortable. I think this may be related to my personality and self-requirements. Too much abstraction will appear too cold, and too much exaggeration will be too ostentatious. My colors are mainly based on my feelings, the colors in my memory.
5) What are some of your best works that use strong narrative and metaphorical elements? Do you have any examples of using geometry and/or symmetry in your composition or layout? If so, why or how do you stray between these two directions in creating paintings?
Many of my works use strong narrative and metaphorical elements, but I can't choose the best ones because they are all fragments of my life at different times.
Yes, I consider the geometry of the composition, and I have also painted works that are completely symmetrical on the left and right. I often make many drafts to refine and design my composition.
I think narrative and geometric composition are not contradictory or incompatible as they both appear in my works at the same time.
6) Who are your favorite artists? Who are your peers? Which famous and/or historical artists do you admire and how do their works affect you?
I like many artists. This is related to my research direction. I often focus on a few artists for a period of time and then switch to a few artists. There are a few artists who move me and shock me when I see their works, but I can't tell you which ones are my favorite artists.
My artist friend is Chun.
I admire many historical artists and I hope I can study as many of them as possible. But I can't choose a favorite to put here. There are many artists who have influenced my creation and even my lifestyle.
7) Is the use of fine lines an important part of your work? Or do you pursue a style composed of blocks and planes of color from edge to edge? Why do you choose one over the other?
The use of fine lines is not the most important part of my paintings, but I do use a lot of lines, probably because I am influenced by Chinese painting.
Of course, I also use blocks of color, points, lines and planes are indispensable in my works.
8) As a Chinese artist, how do you express your nationality and culture, as well as your own national and cultural identity in your works?
First of all, there are many self-portraits in my works. I paint the image of an Asian woman, which can be regarded as the embodiment of my national culture in my works. However, I have never deliberately expressed the culture of my own country and my identity as a Chinese. I am more of a natural expression of my charm as a Chinese.
9) What new directions are you pursuing in art? What old habits, styles or themes are you abandoning or alienating?
I have many new directions to pursue, and I require myself to be a person who never stagnates and always progresses. I now hope to pursue more content about technology and philosophy, and to be able to speak for this era. I used to pay a lot of attention to myself and my emotions, and I am gradually coming out of my closed self. But I don’t want to say it’s abandoning, but, rather, evolution.
10) What are your dreams and goals for the future? What do you think you will be like next year, in the next five years, and in the next ten years?
My dream is to become an influential and sincere artist. I also hope that I can work hard for art all my life.
I can’t foresee what my future will be like. Even if I imagine it, I don’t know how to express it here, or it’s something I don’t want to share. But I will always make art.
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