Lotus and Mud: Embracing messiness through wu-wei and expanded ceramics
My masters project investigates the Daoist concept of wu-wei (non-action) through expanded ceramics that embrace clay’s inherent messiness and instability, challenging conventional methods that prioritize permanence and control. As a Chinese Australian gay artist, I reinterpret wu-wei through a queer lens, drawing from the Daodejing and positioning clay as a collaborative partner rather than a passive material. The resulting works function as archives of action where boundaries between sacred and profane, intention and spontaneity blur, offering new perspectives on cultural identity, desire, and artistic creation.
Yongping Ren