Check Out Yue Zhuo’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Yue Zhuo.

Hi Yue, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I was born and raised in a city located in the south of China. I attended the Art Institute of Chicago after graduating from high school to study art and design. Initially, I chose interior architecture as my degree because I believed it would facilitate employment after graduation. However, after visiting the workshop of Jordan Mozer, a renowned interior and furniture designer, I concluded that furniture design would be a better fit for me. I recall entering Mozer’s studio for the first time and being immediately drawn to and impressed by his innovative furniture designs. Many organic forms were featured, many of which were inspired by nature and animals. The motif was somewhat funny. Following my decision, I began designing and constructing furniture.

After receiving my BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, I began my new journey at Rhode Island School of Design’s Furniture Design Department for my MFA. In graduate school, I developed my design style gradually.

I want the furniture to be functional when in use, as well as aesthetically pleasing to bring people pleasure. I would incorporate traditional western components and natural forms into contemporary and minimalist pieces to create functional, creative, and even playful furniture.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
When I first began seeking for a job in the design profession, I encountered my greatest obstacle. I was unsure of what to do because it was the first time in my life that I had left the safety of school to seek employment in the professional world. Initially, I lacked self-confidence, therefore I was unable to respond when people questioned the comfort and viability of my work. Slowly, however, I came to know that I had stuck to my approach, even if some others cannot comprehend it. I performed better and better as I gained confidence in who I am.

A further difficulty would be the pandemic, which I believe impacts everyone in some degree. At the start of the COVID outbreak, which occurred in early 2020, I was busy every day preparing for my art exhibition and the work that would be displayed during New York Design Week in May of that year. When COVID-19 began, however, all exhibitions were canceled. Due to the outbreak, we had to close our workshops, and all of my production and design plans were put on hold. I was quite frustrated because I had placed so much effort and anticipation into my job. I hope that the pandemic will stop soon on a global scale.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
The importance of furniture is comparable to that of the air we breathe. Sometimes you do not perceive its presence. However, much like air, it is a vital component of shelter, without which it is impossible to survive. To flavor the air in a room, individuals will purchase scented candles and diffusers. I feel the same way about furniture; I want to contribute to the atmosphere.

Why must furniture be constructed as it is? Who determines its meaning? Why is it necessary for a chair to have four legs and a back? Why must an ottoman’s top surface be flat? Why must a side table simply stand there? Why is it unable to float in the air? I dislike being conventional, and I want my designs to be exceptional. Every day, the human body interacts with furniture, however, most furniture in houses serves merely to support the body or other objects. I want my furniture to not only provide support but also serve as a platform for play.

I make furniture and other artifacts to represent to people my utopian fantasies. I hope that via the contact with my furniture and objects, users might conceive the fantastic. As individuals engage with my creations, they become an integral part of the fantasy. My works are the NPCs (non-player characters) in the game Utopian Fantasy that I designed. My artwork is always creature-like, anthropomorphic, and interactive. They draw inspiration from nature and daily life. This collection of works demonstrates my appreciation for the ocean and the Internet. My designs encourage interaction and playfulness. Wander around one of my pieces for a few seconds, test it, and interact with it, and my furniture will gladly reveal what they know with you. The utilitarian use of my furniture develops through play while attractively entertaining others close by. I enjoy providing my works with a feeling of surprise, humor, and a point of engagement and interchange. When interacting with my art, I want people to exclaim, “How delightful!”

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
I consider every piece of furniture I design to be kin. I embrace them, speak to them, kiss them, and pet them whenever I have the opportunity. Each has a unique birth date (the date I completed making them) and, consequently, a zodiac sign. I believed that they have various personalities (furniture personalities?) based on their zodiac signs…

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.joyzhuo.com/
• Instagram: @cereallll_