Yi Zhou

Yi Zhou is a female Chinese Contemporary artist born in China, she moved to Rome at the age of ten later studied Political Science and Economics in London, England. Moving to Paris, once she had graduated proved a success for Yi.^[1] Miss Zhou has created 3D short films for the fashion industry and film festivals using social media platforms to introduce her creativity. ^[2]

1280 Towers — Place Vendôme

In 2006, The Comité Vendôme asked Yi Zhou to create a public project for Place Vendôme, she created an artwork based on the symbolic meaning of the Vendôme Column that gave its name to the square. A response to sovereign power. Yi Zhou's created two 8 meter-high columns, located on a diagonal axis with the Vendôme Column as the central point.^[3] Each of these two columns composed of 1280 small towers that are placed on a circular. Their shape, inspired by Chinese chopsticks, evokes the population growth in China. Like a human chain where the feminine alternates with the masculine. Built on the pattern of the infinite spiral, 1280 Towers continue the history of art and humanity started with the Tower of Babel.

Since 2010 Yi Zhou relocated back to China and founded her studio and production company in Shanghai. She has been encouraged by Vogue ChinaYoko Ono and Cindy Sherman, by Vogue China.^[4] Currently, Yi Zhou is also Tudou.com’s (Chinese would-be YouTube) art-director ^[5] and serves as art and fashion advisory member at Sina.com (which owns Chinese twitter), which owns Chinese twitter (Sina Weibo).

From 2010 to 2011, Yi was sponsored by : Clarins. for her solo show in Venice during the 54th Venice Biennale in 2011.^[6] Since 2012, she has collaborated with the Italian luxury eyewear brand, Persol^[7] and Italian luxury brand, Hogan.^[8]

Another brand she worked for was DVF ^[9] is a 3D animated portrait by Yi Zhou that originated as a commissioned piece for Diane von Fürstenberg. In a dreamlike sequence, Diane von Furstenberg blew female icons such as Audrey Hepburn, Maggie Cheung, Michelle Obama, Wonder Woman, Marlene Dietrich, Elizabeth Taylor, Angelina Jolie, Charlotte Casiraghi, Mother Teresa, and even Diane von Furstenberg herself, from her mouth. Another artwork was again premiered at The Pace Gallery Beijing, entitled Diane von Furstenberg: Journey of a Dress. Instead of painting or photographing Diane for her portrait, she created an original video work, music by the Oscar-winning Ennio Morricone, as a moving 3D portrait featuring Diane as an iconic figure from whose mouth other icons escape.

2013 she worked with the French couture jewelry house Gripoix designing their first artist-collection entitled "Pineapple's Secret".^[10] Her animations have inspired clothing collection by the French hip brand, Each x Other.^[11]

Collaborations

Yi was selected by Sundance Film Festival four consecutive occasions. Since 2010, Yi has been appointed as art director of Tudou.com. It was Miss Zhou's initiative to bridge The Sundance Institute members with 2011 Tudou Video Festival in China.

Yi also developed a series of online moving portraits of key international players from the movie/fashion/art industries, posted on Tudou.com and Weibo.com. This project introduced these celebrities to the Chinese twitter user, and introduced Yi Zhou's approach to her work as a multimedia artist by creating portraits for social media only. Yi also created in September 2011, a short film featuring herself and Nicola Formichetti which gained International attention, emerging Chinese fashion designers' works.

References

External links

• Yi Zhou Venice Biennale collateral exhibition official site