SUMMARY

Boyang Yu is an interdisciplinary artist from New York City who is heavily influenced by the properties of nature and all of its artificial byproducts. This is shared through “Points of Departure Act II”. The bond between nature and humankind presents an open-ended question where we should explore our treatment, placement, and mishandling of naturally existing objects. People sometimes forget that everything humans make comes initially from the earth, like this chair comes from a tree. Also, like a tottering circus chair, the further we try to elevate and distance ourselves from nature, the more precarious our situation becomes. All tree materials within the sculpture are from the park, hardware is from a local hardware store, and the chair was found in a Seattle antique shop.  POD is recessed within the understory and trees to tell its organic, earthy story.

ABOUT THE SCULPTURE

The bond between nature and humankind inspires Points Of Departure Act II. It is an open-ended question that explores our treatment, placement, and mishandling of naturally existing objects. It is important to remember that everything humans make comes from the earth.  Also, the further we try to elevate and distance ourselves from nature, the more dangerous our situation becomes.

All of the branches, twigs, and leaves used to construct this piece were locally sourced from the park. Metal brackets, dowels and pins from a local hardware store were used to secure the structure. The chair was salvaged from a local antique store in Seattle. 

ABOUT THE SCULPTOR

Boyang is an interdisciplinary artist based in New York City. He is heavily influenced by the properties of nature and all of its artificial by-products. As a young, impressionable boy growing up in the industrialized capital of China, he spent much of his formative years absent from nature. 

His work features human society and explores its overlooked role within nature. Boyang studies the relationship between natural landscape, social landscape, and political landscape. He explores the questions, “what is nature?” and “what are natural elements?” through a number of different mediums. For materials, he utilizes natural objects such as leaves and home grown plants and also utilizes manmade materials such as plexiglass, metals, concrete, and more.

He sources many ideas and inspiration from phytology. In his spare time, he grows house plants. Plant care accompanied by construction sites have played a dominant role in his artistic vision. He is fascinated by construction sites in New York City, observing the building techniques and durable materials. Architecture is an underflow within his current project POD (Points Of Departure) and is a prominent overall theme in his recent work.