Q&A with Emilia-Qian Shen

Briefly describe your thesis project. What themes are you exploring, and in what mediums/with what materials?
My thesis project is a series of sculptures covered in wool. The forms loosely reference the figure, often through color and bodily suggestion rather than clear representation. They are abstract, almost as if something has gone slightly wrong. The felted colors can resemble bruises, welts, or other traces on the body. Some of the figures sit on swings or furniture, as if they are resting or lingering in the gallery space.

What do you hope someone feels when they experience your work?
I want the audience to feel a relationship to the objects, almost like they are encountering little friends. There is a sense of seeing these small forms playing, sitting, or simply existing in the space. I also hope people can see something of themselves in the work.

Did you always know this would be your final project? When or how did you figure it out?
No, I did not always know this would be my final project. I had been interested in the human form for a long time, but once I started felting sculptures, I began to understand how strongly the material connected to the body. Through that process, I found a way of working that felt both unfamiliar and emotionally direct, and that gradually became the direction of my thesis.

How does your research interact with this project?
My research has informed this project a lot. I have been especially interested in the human body and its sicknesses, and that has shaped how I think about form, color, and texture. I am also inspired by posthumanist ideas, as well as the grotesque and uncanny aspects of the body. These references help me think about the figure as something unstable, vulnerable, and slightly strange.

How have you evolved as an artist over the years?
I worked in ceramics for a long time, but eventually I felt I needed a change in medium. Ceramics felt very heavy and visually hard to me, and I wanted to make something looser and less familiar. Moving into felt allowed me to approach sculpture in a softer, more open way, while still staying connected to the body.

Are there any faculty, courses, making spaces, or other WashU resources that have had a big impact on you?
A big influence for me was visiting Freund Fellow Blas Isasi. His poetic approach to material really shifted the way I think about making. It changed how I imagine what a material can do and how a sculpture can hold meaning.