DeWei Yu

Lives and works in London, UK

Artist statement

I primarily use leather as a medium to explore the body, supplemented by vintage items, found objects, and other natural materials. Most of my works document my interest in and imagination of the body’s transformation, expressed through sculpture, accessories, and clothing. I restrict myself to using only natural materials, as I believe they best capture the traces left by time. Second-hand and vintage objects, with their inherent histories and stories, are a constant source of inspiration. The marks of human touch and patina they bear significantly influence the early and mid-development of my work. I rarely use sketches or detailed plans to guide my creative process. I prefer an intuitive, spontaneous approach—creating as I think, and adapting along the way, using whatever materials I have at hand. This risky, one-off process often leads to unexpected and intriguing results. Driven by many of my own fears, my work centres on the distortion and dissection of the human body and other life forms, imbuing it with a sense of ‘disharmony.’ I believe this disharmony captivates viewers, provoking introspection and gradually challenging deeply ingrained beliefs. I hope that those who experience fear and pain may find a sense of kinship in my work.

Artwork