Born, raised and educated in Shanghai, Ding Yi continually draws inspiration from the city’s physical and philosophical framework. His works are defined both by a language of ‘x’s and ’+‘s as well as by their grid structure, initially reflective of the fluid architectural milieu of late 1980s Shanghai. Ding Yi’s tenacious practice operates within a completely self-contained system that avoids social metaphors, while simultaneously observing urbanization and the vast and rapid transformations of contemporary Chinese society.
Main image: Still from Tim Marlow in conversation with Ding Yi via Vimeo.
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