Zhenyuan January Shi
They/She/He
Zhenyuan January Shi is an NYC-based artist. They graduated with an MFA in Design and Technology from Parsons School of Design in 2020. Their works have been shown in galleries such as Usagi NY, ZXY gallery, etc.
As a queer immigrant, January’s work often explores the otherness and alienation experienced by bodies living under systems of oppression and exile. Through the composition of symbols, scale shifts, and spaces, their work seeks to poetically express intricate human emotions and relationships. January often creates tensions between interior and exterior, abstraction and tangible, as well as softness and harshness in my paintings.
January’s work draws motifs and physical objects from memories and cultural resonances. They weave these artifacts into the compositions, employing a color palette and aesthetic reminiscent of both Chinese and Western astrology. Through this approach, they seek to transport the viewers into a realm of cultural significance and fluidity, as well as an experience of transcendence and spirituality.
As a queer immigrant, January’s work often explores the otherness and alienation experienced by bodies living under systems of oppression and exile. Through the composition of symbols, scale shifts, and spaces, their work seeks to poetically express intricate human emotions and relationships. January often creates tensions between interior and exterior, abstraction and tangible, as well as softness and harshness in my paintings.
January’s work draws motifs and physical objects from memories and cultural resonances. They weave these artifacts into the compositions, employing a color palette and aesthetic reminiscent of both Chinese and Western astrology. Through this approach, they seek to transport the viewers into a realm of cultural significance and fluidity, as well as an experience of transcendence and spirituality.