Junzhu Nie

Junzhu Nie (b.1996, China), is an artist currently residing and working in London, Italy and China. Nie scrutinizes inner self-perceptions amidst the material realm via her artworks. Propelled by her fascination with nature, emotions, industrialization, anthropomorphism, and absurdism, she meticulously explores the nuances of human experience. She combines diverse media - print, sculpture, mixed media - to communicate her concepts and provoke viewer introspection. Emotions constitute a crucial element of Nie's artistic investigation, elucidating emotional origins and expressions.

MA in Print, Royal College of Art

BA in Visual Arts Decoration, Academy Florence of Fine Arts

Exhibitions:

-TWO FOLD, 03/2023, London, UK

-Aesthetics of Bliss , 07/2023,London, UK

-ZHUOZHUO6.0 , 06/2019, Shenzhen, China

-Piccoli apparati effimeri, 04/2018, Florence, Italy

In my practice, I am significantly influenced by the "Second Body" theory - a scholarly examination of our intricate relationships with nature. This theoretical foundation is not merely a conduit for extending collective memory but rather a catalyst for the transformation of ideas and forms throughout the creative journey.

We are called upon to dismantle social apathy and transcend superficial disparities, such as race, gender, or geography, to earnestly recognize our shared corporality on this planet. I aim to confront the desensitization towards the disquieting aspects of nature, thereby advocating for the comprehensive acceptance of our collective humanity.

Under this overarching theme, my creative process revolves around the enigmatic interplay between humans and animals. Animals, embedded in the artistic textures, perform the role of messengers within this ritualistic context.

Harnessing the transformative potency of rituals, my work challenges the boundaries of consciousness, paving the way for a more profound rapport with the natural world. I have created fossil-like plaques from plaster, meticulously detailed with urban manhole covers and animal forms, accentuated by the flow of molten tin. These symbols, while resonating with modernity, echo archaic symbolism, providing a tangible nexus with our ancestors' communicative practices.

This ritualistic approach guides participants into an alternative realm, fostering a deeper exploration of our position within the natural world. In doing so, it illuminates the intricate entanglement between individuals and the collective within the natural world.

On the theme of connecting with nature, many artists' practices offer unique insights and interpretations from various angles, for example, the works of Anna Mendieta, Joan Jonas, Marcus Coates, and Kiki Smith. Coates explores the profound spiritual connection between humans and animals through immersive performances and shamanistic rituals. Their blend of theory and practice continues to inspire.

Symbiotic Whispers

In my practice, I draw significantly from the "Second Body" theory, exploring our intricate relationships with nature. I challenge social apathy and our numbness towards nature's disquieting aspects, emphasizing our shared humanity. My creative process revolves around the enigmatic interplay between humans and animals. Through the transformative power of rituals, I challenge the boundaries of consciousness, fostering a profound rapport with the natural world. My work involves fossil-like plaques made from plaster, detailed with urban manhole covers and animal forms, accentuated by molten tin, symbolizing our connection with ancestral symbolism. This ritualistic practice guides deeper exploration of our position within nature and highlights our intricate entanglement within the natural world.

Medium:

Plaster, Tin

Size:

25x25cm ,10 pieces

Resonant Echoes

When your second body finds you, the ecstasy is spreading.

The ecstasy and healing triggered by meeting an animal demonstrates the deep connection between man and nature. Sensory communication awakens the human subconscious and the link with your second body is being made - 99%!

Medium:

Photolithography

Size:

B2 * 2pcs

Pastism

In Pastism, I explore and reflect on industrialisation’s impact on education, culture, and artistic creation.

This project was inspired by a dialogue with a friend who majored in Industrial Design.

We discussed whether art should be purposeful.

Technology accelerates our world and improves our lives. However, the overzealous pursuit of efficiency has led to its rampant expansion, and the reckless removal of those “imperfect” or “useless‘’ details.

Art is also significantly informed. Many art practitioners follow the suits. They churn out artworks for material rewards, instead of exploring the essence.

Medium:

Emboss print

Cryogenic Catharsis

Cryogenic Catharsis is a zine encapsulating a decade of emotions experienced through the journey of solitary study abroad. As its creator, I have used the motif of ice to symbolize my emotional state, one that has been seemingly frozen in time due to my geographical separation from my family. During times when they faced hardships and I was unable to lend a helping hand, I was overtaken by guilt, sorrow, and a strong longing for home. This zine serves as a crystallization of these emotions, an artistic testament to the impotence of distance, encapsulated in its frost-tinged pages. It is a poignant reflection of my struggles with familial ties, physical distance, and the icy loneliness that often accompanies independence.

Medium:

Mixed materials

Size:

10 x 15 x 3cm

Junzhu Nie

Symbiotic Whispers

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Resonant Echoes

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Pastism

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Cryogenic Catharsis

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Social

About

Royal College of Art