Yeni Mao's (b. 1971, Canada) sculptures possess a captivating narrative undertone, often drawing from the artist's transnational background. Themes of displacement, migration, fragmented and sexualized bodies, and their connection to the built environment are interwoven throughout Mao's work. Using a variety of materials (such as ceramic, volcanic rock, brass, steel, and leather), Mao skillfully contrasts textures, volumes, and densities to create sculptures and installations that evoke both abstract and anthropomorphic elements, occasionally taking on a zoomorphic quality. These artworks possess a domestic allure or industrial character, serving as a subtle nod to the cultural influences surrounding the artist and the non-Western traditions he has left behind. Mao's practice is alchemic insofar as his work is reduced to the most primal materials in order to transform them into what he terms "objects of significance".
Yeni Mao (b. 1971) is a Chinese-American sculptor based in Mexico City. He received a BFA from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago and subsequently trained in foundry work in California and the architectural industries of New York. Among his recent notable exhibitions are "Yerba Mala" at Campeche in Mexico City,"I desire the strength of nine tigers" at Fierman Gallery in New York, and a public sculpture with Brooke Benington at Canary Wharf, London. Additionally, his work is included in the collection of the Kadist Foundation, and he was recently commissioned by the new SOHO House Mexico City for an installation.
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5 Asian American–Led Galleries Building Inclusive Art Communities
May 21, 2024Since the term “Asian American” was coined by activists in 1968 to foster a sense of community among a diverse population, those identifying as Asian...Read more -
Fragmented: Yeni Mao
Understanding Yeni Mao's sculptural practice is understanding that transformation sits at the center — whether it's transformation of the body, material, mind, objects, or one's disposition to their environment. February 23, 2024Tethered to this interest in transformation are explorations of otherness, the impermanence of material, transnational identities, and issues of fragmentation through assemblages. Though the most...Read more -
Redwood, Waste Plastic and Rose Quartz: Sculpture at Frieze Los Angeles
The 2024 edition of Frieze Los Angeles is an arena for sculptural experimentation, with Jesse Schlesinger, Yeni Mao, vanessa german and Mustafa Ali Clayton all debuting new work February 16, 2024Frieze Los Angeles 2024 sees a surge in artists working in sculpture, stretching and honing the medium’s potential with innovative and reclaimed materials to shape...Read more
