Yongping Ren

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.