RUYU WEI

My practice takes the form of performance and video work that engages with humour, futility and the absurd to explore and critique authority and social norms. By using kitsch, video games and other appropriated elements from popular culture, my work presents artificial environments and dystopian dream worlds where characters enact roles and instructions.My most recent works explore the transition between childhood and adulthood, focusing on the anxiety caused by this physical and mental transformation. These videos take inspiration from a children's story written by the renowned Chinese author, Yuanjie Zheng called Taming of The Rabbit. The story depicts how children are encouraged by their parents and teachers to turn into rabbits, symbolising docility and reliability. Through this satirical lens, I investigate and highlight the imposed constraints and structures of daily life, as well as the notion of metamorphosis suggested by the story.

See more of my work on https://www.ruyuwei.com/