Chengtao Yi, born in 1992 in Chengdu, China,  is a New York-based artist whose work explores cultural and perceptual landscapes by investigating the historical and ontological development of man-made objects and systems. His practice spans painting, sculpture, installation, and digital media, often focusing on the subject of vision, the act of seeing and the mechanism of human perception. Yi’s work integrates both physical and virtual contexts, highlighting the technological and cultural forces that shape objects and their meanings. 

Chengtao’s work has been exhibited internationally, including at The Chengdu Art Museum, Chengdu Biennale (2021), Yulingson Project Space, as well as at Madein Gallery in Shanghai and Rainain Gallery, Below Grand Gallery, and NARS Foundation in New York. His notable accolades include receiving Atlantic’s Blank Canvas Fund in 2020 and the A’Design Award Silver in 2016. He completed two seasons of NARS Foundation art residencies in 2023. He earned his Bachelor of Industrial Design from Pratt Institute and his MPS in Interactive Arts from NYU. He is currently a visiting lecturer at Pratt Institute.

Can you tell us about your background and how you started your artistic journey?

I’m originally from Chengdu, China and currently live and work in New York. With a background in Industrial Design, I transitioned into a career in art during the pandemic.

How do you stay inspired and motivated to create new work?

By looking at other people’s art, but at the same time by not looking at other people’s art.

How has your artistic style evolved over time?

I initially worked primarily in digital media, which allowed me to freely collage diverse imagery and layers of meaning. These two pieces for the show are part of my previous practice, exploring the connection between my culture and it’s modularity.

However, as my practice evolved, I began to feel a growing need to engage my physical body in the creative process—moving beyond the confines of the screen and pixel. Embodied perception has become central to my work. As a result, my current practice emphasizes the physical presence of the artwork itself, prioritizing spatial and sensory experience over the juxtaposition of symbols or references.

What themes or ideas are you most passionate about exploring through your art?

The idea of the “flesh of the world” continues to shape my thinking, especially in how I understand vision. Inspired by phenomenology, I see vision not just as looking at something from a distance, but as a physical, shared experience between the body and the world. My work explores this connection—how seeing can feel like touching, and how the boundaries between the viewer and what is seen begin to blur.

How do you hope viewers will engage with or experience your work?

I hope viewers can encounter my work without the need for prior context or references. My intention is for them to engage with it through direct visual perception—free from interpretation, conceptual framing, or intellectual knowledge.

How do you see your work evolving in the next few years?

I believe my work will continue to move toward greater simplicity—so much so that it may appear almost naive, even foolish. But that sense of disarming directness is intentional. My aim is to strip away layers of complexity, irony, and intellectualization, in order to arrive at something raw, immediate, and honest. It’s a pursuit of clarity that resists cleverness, inviting a kind of unguarded encounter that feels both vulnerable and sincere.

Text & photo courtesy of Chengtao Yi

Website: https://www.chengtaoyi.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peachyiii/