Artist: Shiyuan Xu
Shiyuan Xu, ILLINOIS
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My work is inspired by the research of scientific and microscopic phenomena ranging from single-celled organisms in the ocean to the diverse plant’s seeds on the land, to cells, the building blocks of all life form. My fascination with shapes, patterns, structures and textures of these microorganisms stimulates my creation. I reinterpret these visual elements into sculptural forms revealing the intricacy and fragility of the hidden world.
In D’Arcy Thompson’s ‘On Growth and Form’, the form of an object is a ‘diagram of forces’. I see the structure of these microorganisms is trace of their growth and evidence of internal and external force. It is about movement, time and space. It records the way they move and grow, and the way they respond to the surrounding environment by interacting, altering, evolving and adapting to generate infinite new forms.
I hand-build structures with porcelain paperclay, and I use unconventional ways to apply glazes on the sculptural pieces. The materials allow me to push the fragility and strength, simplicity and complex, order and chaos. Slowly, the thin skeletal lines are weaved into a harmonious volume.
The regular and irregular structures and layers also contain the memory of my sensations. They are in many ways like living organisms, reflections of my own life path, and an abstraction of the complexity and delicacy of life itself.
EDUCATION
2013-2016 Master of Fine Arts, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.
2008-2012 Bachelor of Arts, China Academy of Art, Hangzhou, P.R China.
SOLO AND TWO-PERSON EXHIBITIONS
2020 Undergrowth, (Two Person Show with Illustrator Alex Boersma), Lillstreet Art
Center, Chicago, IL.
2019 Slow Growth, Lillstreet Art Center, Chicago, IL.
2018 Envisioning Invisibility, Lawrence Arts Center, Lawrence, KS.
2017 Obscure Traces, Mary Matteson-Parrish Art Gallery, Conroe, TX.
Experiments in Form & Fiction (Two Person Show with Photographer Liz
Hickok), Capsule Gallery, Houston, TX.
2016 Revealing Obscurity, MFA Thesis Exhibition, Harry Wood Gallery, Tempe, AZ.
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2020 Pour Spill Drip Stain (Invitational), Strohl Art Center, Chautauqua Institution,
Chautauqua, NY. (Curator: Judy Barie) (Upcoming)
14 h Yunomi Invitational, ClayAKAR, Iowa City, IA. (Upcoming)
Transformations of the Self (Invitational), Main St. Station, Richmond, VA.
(Curator: Eliza Au) (Upcoming)
Questions + Answers | In pursuit of creativity, Selected works by 2020
Penland School instructors (Invitational), John & Robyn Horn Gallery,
Penland School of Craft, Penland, NC. (Curator: Kathryn Gremley)
Collect 2020, with Ting-Ying Gallery, Somerset House, London, UK.
Connection- International Ceramics Cultural Exchange Exhibition
(Invitational), Hong Kong Cultural Center Exhibition Gallery, Hong Kong.
(Curator: So Ling Yuen) (Catalog)
2019
Korean International Ceramic Biennale 2019 (Juried), Online Group, South
Korea. (Jurors: Frédéric Bodet, Janet DeBoos, Rosy Greenlees, Misun Rheem,
Judith Schwartz, Kazuko Todate, Guangzhen Zhou)
Three Paths, Academic Nominated Exhibition of China’s Contemporary
Crafts, Craft Museum of China Academy of Art, Hangzhou, China. (Catalog)
Bridging the Gap: Contemporary Craft Practices (Juried), Sandra J Blain
Gallery, Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, Gatlinburg, TN. (Jurors: Ariel
Zaccheo, Jovencio de la Paz, and Jessica Todd)
In Residence, Lillstreet Art Center, Chicago, IL.
Particle; Wave- Paperclay Illuminated (Invitational), Traveling Exhibition
through 2021, ASU Art Museum Ceramics Research Center, Tempe, AZ; Daum
Museum of Contemporary Art, Sedalia, MO; Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of
Art, Logan, UT; The Fuller Craft Museum, Brockton, MA; The Holter Museum
of Art, Helena, MT; Boise Art Museum, Boise, Idaho. (Curator: Peter Held)
(Catalog)
Off Center: Third Annual International Ceramic Art Competition, Blue
Line Arts, Roseville, CA. (Juror: Joshua Green)
Benefit Art Auction Exhibition (Invitational), Lawrence Arts Center, Lawrence, KS.
Geologic Shift (Invitational), Wilson Library, University of Minnesota,
Minneapolis, MN. (Curator: Priya Thoresen)
2018
ASU Mentor-Alumni Exhibition (Invitational), Step Gallery, Phoenix, AZ.
(Invited by Kurt Weiser)
The 11th Chinese Contemporary Young Ceramic Art Biennale (Juried), Art
Museum of China Academy of Art, Hangzhou, China.
Workhouse Clay International, Workhouse Arts Center, Lorton, VA. (Juror:
Eva Kwong)
IV. International Ceramics Triennial UNICUM 2018, The National
Museum of Slovenia, Ljubljana, Slovenia. (Jurors: Barney Duke, Martin
Neubert and Nadja Zgonik) (Catalog)
Contemporary Clay 2018, Western Colorado Center for the Arts, Grand
Junction, CO. (Juror: Doug Casebeer)
22nd San Angelo National Ceramic Competition, San Angelo Museum of
Fine Art, San Angelo, TX. (Juror: Peter Held)
In Residence (Invitational), Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, Houston,
TX. (Curator: Sarah Darro)
Here and Now (Invitational), Hiroshige Gallery, Tokyo, Japan. (Curator:
Takashi Hara)
Nasty Women (Invitational), Third Street Gallery, Carnegie, PA. (Curator: Alex
Kraft)
Benefit Art Auction Exhibition (Invitational), Lawrence Arts Center,
Lawrence, KS.
31st annual Materials: Hard + Soft International Contemporary Craft
Competition and Exhibition, Patterson-Appleton Arts Center, Denton,
TX. (Juror: Perry Price) (Online Catalog)
2017
UnWedged, Pottery Northwest, Seattle, WA. (Juror: Patty Warashina) (Catalog)
The Zanesville Prize for Contemporary Ceramics, Seiler’s Gallery,
Zanesville, OH. (Jurors: Mary Jo Bole, Leslie Ferrin and Tony Marsh)
Gyeonggi International Ceramic Biennale 2017, Incheon, South Korea.
(Jurors: Frederic Bodet, Lesile Ferrin, Misun Rhreem, Monica Gass, Namhee
Park and Namita Wiggers) (Catalog)
Ceramic Innovations, Davenport Gallery, Wayne Art Center, Wayne, PA.
(Jurors: Chris Gustin and Jim Lawton) (Online Catalog)
NCECA Bray Past Resident Artists Exhibition (Invitational), Smith Hall,
Lewis & Clark College, Portland, OR.
Nature: Surface, Form, Content, The Clay Studio of Missoula, Missoula, MT.
(Juror: Adrian Arleo)
2016
UnWedged, Pottery Northwest, Seattle, WA. (Juror: Sandy Simon) (Catalog)
AMOCA Ceramics Annual: Biomorphic, Ceramics Studio Gallery, American
Museum of Ceramic Art, Pomona, CA. (Juror: Cj Jilek)
Recent Acquisitions to the Archie Bray Permanent Collection, Bray North
Gallery, Helena, MT.
Resident Artists Exhibition, Bray Warehouse Gallery, Helena, MT.
Wake the Town and Tell the People, Mana Contemporary, Jersey City, NJ.
NCECA National Student Juried Exhibition, The Leedy-Voulkos Art Center,
Kansas City, MO. (Jurors: Lee Somers and Liz Quackenbush) (Catalog)
Beyond the Brickyard Eighth Annual Juried Show, Bray North Gallery,
Helena, MT. (Juror: Peter Beasecker) (Catalog)
Our Neighbor Is Underwater (Invitational), PHICA Phoenix Institute of
Contemporary Art, Phoenix, AZ. (Curator: Amelia Miholca)
2015
Sculpting Science, ASU Natural History Collections, Tempe, AZ. (Catalog)
21st Annual ISC Student Award Exhibition, Grounds For Sculpture, Hamilton,
NJ.
2015 Miami University Young Sculptors Competition, Hiestand Galleries,
Oxford, OH. (Juror: Anne Barlow)
The Twelfth Annual Marge Brown Kalodner Graduate Student Exhibition,
The Clay Studio, Philadelphia, PA. (Juror: Jennifer Zwilling)
Mesa Contemporary Arts’ 36th Annual Contemporary Crafts Exhibition,
Mesa, AZ. (Jurors: Mike and Jennifer Tansey)
2014
The Eleventh Annual Marge Brown Kalodner Graduate Student Exhibition,
The Clay Studio, Philadelphia, PA. (Juror: Garth Johnson)
New Art in Arizona, Shemer Art Center and Museum, Phoenix, AZ.
2013
FIASCO: The Art of Failure, Frontal Lobe Gallery, Phoenix, AZ.
2012
The First China Contemporary Ceramic Art Exhibition, Beijing, China.
AWARDS/GRANTS/SCHOLARSHIPS
2019
National Workshop Scholarship, Arrowmont School of Craft, Gatlinburg, TN.
2018
Merit Award, Workhouse Clay International, Workhouse Arts Center, Lorton, VA.
Best of Show, Contemporary Clay 2018, Western Colorado Center for the Arts,
Grand Junction, CO.
Merit Award, 22nd San Angelo National Ceramic Competition, San Angelo
Museum of Fine Arts, San Angelo, TX.
2017
Aninstantia Grant, Aninstantia Foundation, Pleasanton, CA.
Director’s Choice Award, Unwedged, Pottery Northwest, Seattle, WA.
Emerging Artist, Ceramics Monthly Magazine, Westerville, OH.
Honorable Mention, Gyeonggi International Ceramic Biennale, Icheon, South
Korea.
Best in Show, Ceramic Innovations, Wayne Art Center, Wayne, PA.
Juror’s Merit Award, The Clay Studio of Missoula, MT.
2016
Rudy Autio Fund for Creative Initiatives, Archie Bray Foundation, Helena, MT.
Sage Summer Scholarship, Archie Bray Foundation, Helena, MT.
GPSA Individual Travel Grant, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.
2015 GPSA JumpStart Research Grant, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.
Student Enrichment Grant, Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts,
Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.
2015
Outstanding Student Achievement in Contemporary Sculpture Award,
International Sculpture Center, Hamilton, NJ.
The Martin Wong Foundation Scholarship, First Place Recipient, Arizona
State University, Tempe, AZ.
Arrowmont Scholarship, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.
The Herbert Smith Graduate Fellowship, Arizona State University, Tempe,
AZ.
Fine Arts Special General Scholarship, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.
2014
Student Enrichment Grant, Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts,
Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.
School of Art Special Talent Scholarship, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.
Ruth S. Magadine Award, Arizona Artists Guild, Phoenix, AZ.
Bolinger Sculpture Award, Arizona Artists Guild, Phoenix, AZ.
2013 Katherine K. Herberger Scholarship, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.
School of Art Special Talent Scholarship, Arizona State University, Tempe,
AZ.
RESIDENCIES
2018-Present Lillstreet Art Center, Chicago, IL.
2017-2018 Lawrence Arts Center, Lawrence, KS.
2016-2017 Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, Houston, TX.
2016 Archie Bray Foundation, Summer Resident, Helena, MT.
2009 The Pottery Workshop, Two-week Summer Resident, Jingdezhen, China.
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
2018-Prensent Ceramics Instructor, Lillstreet Art Center, Chicago, IL.
2017- 2018 Ceramics Instructor, Lawrence Arts Center, Lawrence, KS.
2017 Adjunct Faculty, Houston Community College, Houston, TX.
2016-2017 Ceramics Instructor, Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center of Houston,
Houston, TX.
2015-2016 Instructor of Record, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.
ARTIST LECTURES/ WORKSHOPS
2020
Penland School of Crafts, Penland, NC. Two Weeks Summer Workshop (Upcoming)
Gasworks, New York City, NY. Workshop. (Upcoming)
2019
Hyde Park Art Center, Chicago, IL. Guest speaker for Architectural Practice Talks.
2018
Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, IL. Visiting Artist and Workshop.
Lillstreet Art Center, Chicago, IL.
Lawrence High School, Lawrence, KS.
Lawrence Arts Center, Lawrence, KS.
University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS.
Edinboro University, Edinboro, PA. Visiting Artist, Workshop, Undergraduate
and Graduate Student Critiques.
3rd Street Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA.
2017
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, New Bedford, MA. Visiting Artist,
Workshop, Undergraduate and Graduate Student Critiques.
Lawrence Arts Center, Lawrence, KS.
Mary Matteson-Parrish Art Gallery, Conroe, TX.
Glassell School of Art, Houston, TX. Workshop.
University of Houston, Houston, TX. Panel Discussion: Scientific Clay.
Capsule Gallery, Houston, TX.
Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, Houston, TX.
2016
Archie Bray Foundation, Helena, MT.
Ceramics Research Center, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.
2014
Arizona Clay Association, Phoenix, AZ.
Arizona Artist Guild, Phoenix, AZ.
PUBLICATIONS
Print Media
Hong Kong Art, “Interview, Connected- International Ceramics Cultural Exchange Exhibition”, by Junyi Li, Jan-Feb Issue 2020, p73-78.
Ming Pao Daily Newspaper (Hong Kong), “Art exhibitions to see in the holidays”, December 25, 2019.
Ceramics Monthly, “Grounded”, September 2019, p53.
Artist Directory by ArtGuidemag.com, “Ceramic Dreams, Work by Shiyuan Xu”, Volume 2, p14-17.
Studio Potter, “Paper Clay Illuminated: Journey to an Exhibition”, by Lorie Nelson, Winter/Spring
Issue, 2019 Vol. 47, No.1. P68.
Lawrence Journal-World, “Small Wonders, Artist in residence looks to microscopic life for inspiration”, by Nick Krug, May 6, 2018.
The World Journal, “Xu Shiyuan Abstract Ceramics Exhibition: Foreseen to be invisible by Kuo Minghsiang, July 10, 2018
Ceramics Monthly Year Book 2018, “Long-Term Resident Artist”, p36.
Daily Kansan, “Art In Focus, Meet the 2017 Lawrence Artists in Residence”, by Josh McQuade, September 21, 2017.
Local Houston Magazine, “Hidden Creatures”, by Tim Moloney, August Issue, p48.
Ceramics Monthly, “Emerging Artists”, May 2017, p31.
Ceramics Monthly, “ From the Editor,” “National Student Juried Exhibition”, January 2017, p8. p46.
Ceramics Monthly Year Book 2017, “Short Term Resident Artist”, p35.
The Central New Jersey, “Sculpting Destiny, Collaborative sculpture show survey emerging
trends”, by Ralph J. Bellantoni, November 27, 2015.
Sculpture Magazine, “2015 Outstanding Student Achievement In Contemporary Sculpture Awards”, October 2015 Vol.34 No.8. p54.
Web Publication
Lawrence Arts Center Blog, “A Conversation with 2017/2018 Artist in Residence, Shiyuan Xu”.
https://lawrenceartscenter.org/2019/04/a-conversation-with-2017-2018-artist-in-residence-shiyaun-xu/
Lillstreet Art Center Blog, “Fresh AIR, Meet Shiyuan Xu”.
https://lillstreet.com/blog/2018/12/19/fresh-air-meet-shiyuan-xu/
The World Journal Newspaper, “Xu Shiyuan Abstract Ceramics Exhibition Foreseen to be invisible”. https://www.worldjournal.com/5656890/article-徐識媛抽象陶瓷展-「預見到不可見
」/?ref=芝加哥_新聞總覽”,
Art Insight, Houston Public Media, “The Microscopic world of Shiyuan Xu”.
https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/arts-culture/2017/04/03/194540/video-the-
microscopic-world-of-shiyuan-xu/
Houston Center for Contemporary Craft Blog, “Resident Artist Shiyuan Xu on Inspirations and
Process”.
https://www.crafthouston.org/tag/ceramics/
The Potters Cast, “A Chinese Artist in America”. http://thepotterscast.com/352
PERMANENT COLLECTIONS
Archie Bray Foundation, Helena, MT.
Korea Ceramic Foundation, Incheon, South Korea.
San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts, San Angelo, TX.
The National Museum of Slovenia, Ljubljana, Slovenia.