YANG QIU • CERAMIC ARTIST
YANG QIU • CERAMIC ARTIST
SYDNEY • AUSTRALIA
Yang Qiu is a prolific interdisciplinary artist based in Sydney, Australia, whose multidisciplinary practice in ceramics and painting has been met with critical acclaim. She is renowned for her unique approach to ceramic creation, which involves transforming local produce, such as corn, eggplant, avocado, and mandarin, into functional ceramic sculptures, all while exploring the shapes and surfaces of food in her paintings.
Informed by her background as a pastry chef and her interest in art, Yang began to explore ceramics as a means of artistic expression, studying fine art at UNSW in 2017, with a focus on painting and ceramics.
During this time, she became particularly intrigued by mould making and slip casting techniques, which allowed her to create objects with striking and unusual forms and to transform vegetables and fruits into functional ceramic tableware. Using a spray paint gun to apply glazing enhances the effect, and achieves the beautiful gradated colours seen in natural produce.
Drawing inspiration from her experiences as an only child, Yang imbues her work with a sense of whimsy and childlike wonder. She often characterizes her creations with faces and legs, as though imbuing them with personalities and identities. Through her artistic process, she envisions herself crafting new friends with whom she can dance and celebrate life.
In 2024, Yang completed a residency in Jingdezhen - a town famous for its ceramics and known as the porcelain capital of China - and she drew inspiration for the works she created there whilst exploring the local fruit and vegetable markets.
Through her distinctive approach to ceramic creation and her exploration of the shapes and surfaces of food, Yang Qiu has established herself as a master of her craft, elevating the humble vegetable and fruit to new heights of artistic expression.
We first introduced Yang to our DEA customers in 2023 and were thrilled at the immediate and joyful connection they made with her work. It's been a staple of our offering ever since, and each new drop usually sells out quickly.
EXHIBITIONS @ DEA
26 JUN 2024 • Fantastic Garden
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2023 Whimsy Dance Affair | Sol Gallery | Fitzroy, Melbourne, Australia
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2023 Picking Wildflower | Glue Festival 2023 | Pansy Shop | Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2023 Interconnected | PS Art Space | Fremantle - Perth, Australia
2023 Bare | Sol Gallery | Fitzroy - Melbourne, Australia
2023 Small Sculpture Group Exhibition | Alternating Current Art Space | Windsor - Melbourne, Australia
2019 The Sydney Teapot Show | Kerrie Lowe Gallery | Newtown - Sydney, Australia
2017 This Is What Your Tax Dollars Are Paying For | AD Space| Paddington - Sydney, Australia
2017 Ceramics at UNSW Art and Design, Recent Works | Craft Week | AD Space | Paddington - Sydney, Australia
2017 Goodstuff @ Goodspace | Goodspace Gallery | Chippendale - Sydney, Australia
AWARDS / PRIZES
2023 Little Things Art Prize - Winner (Ceramic Category) | Sydney, Australia
2019 Blacktown City Art Prize - Finalist | Sydney