Bio
Joyce Shi is an interdisciplinary artist exploring ritual and seduction through sculptures made of wood, glass, and stone. She graduated from RISD with a BFA degree in Glass. She is currently based in Providence, Rhode Island, where her work has been exhibited in various galleries. Her work is informed by her multi-cultural identity, as well as her interest in transformation, craft, and alchemy.
Artist Statement
Joyce Shi’s work is informed by ritual, from both its relevance in early spiritual practices as well as through its symbolism in ancient archaeological contexts. She is drawn to the manifestation of natural formations of mimicry, expressed through occult sciences and alchemical contexts. The imagery of her work is closely tied to the natural world, specifically defense systems that occur within bodily structures. “In pushing the boundary of familiarity through abstraction, I find different areas of balance between representing something and truly personalizing my objects to myself.”
“The value of labor and sacrifice is incredibly important to my working process. Putting my body, as well as time spent in a project strongly contributes to the pride I feel towards the piece later on.” An essential part of her practice lies within the fine detailing. The creation of fragility is a form of seduction– a means to draw attention inwards. Her relationship with material is an intimate one, her body – both physically and psychologically– fluctuates with the making of each project: Each piece of work becomes a physical manifestation of her personhood as she continues to change, recording time. Much like the materials Joyce works with, wood, stone, and glass are all entities that hold memory of their countless transformations. “In the end, everything I make becomes an evidence to the pursuit of building a home within myself.”