Youzhi Bi . Artist

Youzhi Bi, born in 1995 in China, is a talented artist who completed her master's degree in Jewellery Design, Gold & Silversmithing at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp. One of the most exhilarating aspects of her artistry is the initial encounter with a blank sheet of paper, ripe for transformation. Despite her concerns about tarnishing the paper, Youzhi endeavors to keep her drawing lines sharp and accurate. Yet, she acknowledges that no paper can remain unblemished, and no drawing can achieve perfection.
For Youzhi, what might be seen as a mistake in a drawing is, in fact, what imparts distinctiveness and personality to the artwork. She has discovered a method to capture the essence of drawing on paper, but instead, she uses thin, fine silver, which is pale, soft, and prone to scratching. On this delicate medium, she sketches her landscapes, much as she would on paper.
In her creations, Youzhi employs a few structured lines to depict scenes of nature. She then skillfully transforms these drawings into wearable brooches. When worn, the inevitable scratches on the surface of these brooches contribute to their uniqueness, symbolizing the uncontrollable aspects of nature, like the growth of trees or the layering of mountains.
The initial scratches may seem heartbreaking, as they appear to be flaws. However, it is these very imperfections that invite the wearer to weave a personal narrative. Through daily wear and interaction with the body, these pieces become storytellers in their own right.

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Trace Series . One of the most exciting moments of Youzhi Bi’s art making is to be encountered with a blank sheet of paper ready to be trans- formed and striving for precision in her lines, yet embracing the inevitable imperfections that emerge. This series is an exploration of translating the act of drawing on paper to etching on metal. The paper is now replaced by thin, fine silver, embodying a sense of fragility and susceptibility to marks. Just like a drawing, the first scratch on the silver feels like a mistake but soon becomes an integral part of the story the piece tells. Youzhi has found a unique approach to manipulating silver sheets as if they were paper. She skillfully folds her silver drawings into brooches, embedding the pins between the pleats of silver, thus bridging the gap between two distinct mediums.

Finnish Art & Design

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