Life & Work with Yujun Pan

Today we’d like to introduce you to Yujun Pan.

Hi Yujun, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I am from China, I grew up with an interest in painting and crafts, so my parents sent me to an art high school and from there, I wanted to make some changes and challenges in my life and I chose to come to the US to continue my studies in visual arts.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Overall it was pretty smooth but lonely because I was alone in a completely different place. The biggest challenge was the unfamiliarity with the environment, the language barrier and the cultural differences during my first year here, and the fact that I couldn’t go back to my country to reunite with my family during the epidemic for various reasons.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a stop-motion, sculpture-based artist. I like to create creatures that are based on my experiences and emotions, creatures that I make from parts of the human organism such as hands, legs, breasts, etc. Out of contempt for misogyny, they are usually also strongly feminine, and breasts are an important organ for me. I am trying to express breasts in a way that is outside of the male gaze as well as the maternal. This also leads me to think about breasts as a reflection of femininity. This essay is a discussion on the topic of breasts and sexual othering of women in mainstream media and the sexual double standard for women and my own experience.

What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
I think I learned a lot from my experience. I learned to be alone with myself, to be brave enough to express my true thoughts, and to stop putting expectations on the feedback of others. I realized that it is very important to love and listen to yourself and that it is very easy to get hurt in this world if you can’t figure out or accept your innermost truth. The best knight to save myself from a difficult situation is my own mind and heart.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.yujunpanart.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yujun4903/ 

Image Credits
Yujun Pan