Born 1984 in Inner Mongolia, Yu Honglei is an artist whose works continues to challenge the status quo and transcend boundaries. His sculptural practice takes inspiration from his fascination with the plasticity of thought forms and the sensible entities it corresponds to.
Channelling the work’s conceptual drive, the materials used for First into the Mist were accumulated from the rubble of a dilapidated building behind Yu’s studio. The present work features two taxidermy birds perched on separate beams attempting to gaze at one another only to realise that their field of vision is intentionally obstructed by the beam in the middle.
First into the Mist addresses the fragility of nature and stimulates human temporality, referencing a disaster that has happened or is about to happen. Additionally, the title of the work evokes a sense of exploration and discovery – perhaps the word ‘mist’ signifies as a metaphor for the unknown or unexplored and implies a desire for serenity to be revived.
Yu Honglei’s multidisciplinary works have been exhibited at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London; MOCA Shanghai Museum, China; OCT Contemporary Art Terminal Shenzhen, China; and the National Museum of Contemporary Art, Korea.