This is long overdue, but only because I’m an idiot and left it in drafts instead of actually posting it.
Anyway, here’s the pieces I picked, from left to right
Cancer Baby, 2014
Electromagnetic Brainology (exhibit), 2017
Electromagnetic Brainology (graphics), 2017
Material World Knight, 2018
Delusional Crime and Punishment, 2016
Each of these pieces were picked for their bold statements. Cancer Baby showed know something so deadly could be registered as just a normal, “cute” part of the body before infecting it, Electromagnetic Brainology shows an imaginary religion where people become godlike, Material World Knight shows how much society values the tangible compared to what truly matters most like love and friendship, and Delusional Crime and Punishment creates a personal Hell from pain and science.
Looking at these images in black and white makes me realize that with the colors sucked out, the message has a lesser impact. What makes Lu Yang’s art shine is how colorful she makes them. For Cancer Baby in particular, it makes the piece look cuter and deceiving. And for cases like Delusional Crime and Punishment it’s harder to see what a personal Hell looks like without the colors to bring it to life. It really says a lot how integral color is for Lu Yang’s work, and this isn’t even an assignment for my color theory class! Haha.