Yuhan Ye
About
Yuhan is a Chinese-born illustrator currently based in London. She studied Fine Art and Art History at Southeast University, Nanjing, China.
Yuhan is inspired by her life experiences and her examination of society and culture. Her work reflected her concern with the plight of specific social groups, and explores issues of social significance.
Recognition
2022 Pink Seeds, Varley Award Winner, Royal College of Art
2022 RBA Rome Scholarship (Shortlist)
2022 RBA Rising Stars (Shortlisted)
2022 Hiii Illustration Awards (Shortlist)
2021 China Illustration Biennale (Shortlist)
Exhibitions
2023 I Wanna Tell You, Royal College of Art WIP Show, London
2022 I SEE III, Southwark Park Galleries, London
2022 2|0|1, Royal College of Art, London
2022 I SEE, Royal Overseas League, London
2021 The Handan Dream, Taiguhui, Shanghai
Statement
Yuhan's artistic exploration of illness is a deeply personal and empathetic endeavour. Through her creative expressions, she delves into the intricate layers of both the physical and emotional transformations that occur when confronted with illness.
Illustration allows her to visually communicate the complex and nuanced experiences associated with illness. She hopes to convey the vulnerability of the human condition, capturing the essence of pain, resilience and hope through subdued colours and accurate lines.
By sharing her own insights, she aims to evoke understanding, empathy, and a renewed perspective on the profound impact of illness on individuals.
A Floating Hair
If you are interested in the full book plan,
please feel free to contact me:
7255814@network.rca.ac.uk
yuhanhayleyye@gmail.com
Yuhan’s attention lies on the widespread issue of hair loss, which she sees as a universal social concern. To gather material for her work Yuhan observes the daily lives of individuals coping with hair loss, conducting interviews and capturing photographs. Through the experiences of various patients, the graphic novel portrays a range of perspectives to shed light on the circumstances faced by those affected.
The story concludes with a touch of dark humour that serves as a reflection of the author's stance on the subject of hair loss. It highlights the unfortunate reality that some people face ridicule and teasing due to their hair loss, exacerbating their distress and hopelessness in such a situation.
Medium: Softback Booklet
Size: 250 x 350 mm, 82pp
I Wanna Tell You
‘When I finished the series of treatments: radiation, chemotherapy, targeted therapy and endocrine therapy, I thought the cancer had died within me and then I received a legacy from the cancer,’ said a breast cancer survivor.
This project has two possible interpretations: either as a record and response to research on Pink Seeds, a funded project by the Varley Awards, or as a group of individual installations.
The wool felt is used as a metaphor for the softness and vulnerability of the human body, particularly in relation to a disease such as cancer. The act of poking the wool felt with a needle symbolises the physical and emotional pain that cancer causes, as well as the ways in which the disease can reshape a person's body and mind.
Yuhan put a light sensitive speaker into the wool felt sculptures, and the wool felt adds an element of intimacy and personal connection to the listening experience as we hear the stories of the breast cancer survivors. She thought that this approach has the potential to create a powerful and emotional impact on the audience, and in the future I will develop recording devices that allow the listener to respond.
The wool felt sculptures are designed based on the physical characteristics of the survivors, they develop through conversation and are formed with their consent.
Medium: Wool Felting, Sound Device