Rui Mockian
About
Rui Mockian is a London-based artist who mainly works with Sculpture and Installation.
Rui's current interests focus on political dynamics, individual experience, power structures and the conflict between the privileged and the oppressed.
Drawing inspiration from domestic found objects, Rui employs sculpture and installation to construct thought-provoking observations of macro social and historical/political dynamics. Through their work, Rui offers a personal yet relatable viewpoint, inviting viewers to engage with the complexities of these issues.
Rui holds a BA in Media and Communication Design from Tongji University and a MA in Contemporary Art Practice from RCA.
Statement
Working primarily in sculpture and installation, Rui's art offers a personal yet relatable perspective on complex political dynamics, individual experience, power structures and the conflict between the privileged and the oppressed.
Utilising domestic found objects, Rui constructs thought-provoking observations on social and historical dynamics, inviting viewers to engage with the artwork personally. Rui's work challenges conventional narratives and encourages critical reflection. It prompts viewers to contemplate their positions within power structures and initiate conversations about societal dynamics.
"Well, Keep Sitting on It"
"Well, Keep Sitting on It" is a set of sculptures made with found objects, including soft toys, a chair and a footstool. The chair and the footstool are suspended at eye level, and a rug sits underneath.
The rug, the chair's upholstery and the footstool cushion are made from the body parts of soft toys. Each head has its eyes covered with the information tag to erase the visual identity but reveals the commodity identity.
Medium: Chair, Stool, Soft toys, Thread
Size: 120 x 150 x 250 cm
Epiphyte
The work Epiphyte is named after the growth habit of epiphytic plants. In this work, I mount three Catasetum orchids to a ceramic obelisk sitting on a plinth.
I use unglazed earthenware ceramic as the body of the obelisk because the material's porosity allows it to distribute water evenly on the surface, supporting the Catasetum orchids' growth.
This work should be seen as a prototype of a larger-scale proposal, approximately 7 metres tall.
Medium: Earthenware, Resin, Catasetum Orchid
Size: 15 x 15 x 80 cm
Broken Order
Description
Broken Order is a sculpture made from found objects, toys and white fabric. A soft toy with an electronic voice box lies under a white sheet on a toy ambulance stretcher. The stretcher sits atop a Greek ionic column with the fabric nailed to the column by four small nails. The column is shattered and repaired with bolts, glue and duct tape. The arm of the soft toy that contains the pressure switch to trigger the voice box dangles outside of the fabric, encouraging the audience to press it and interact.
The work is under construction.
Medium: Resin, Glue, Bolt, Toys, Cotton Fabric
Size: 30 x 30 x 115 cm