YUELIN LI
INFO
Yuelin Li is an artist who creates kinetic sculptures and installations that explore the emotional resonance of objects in motion. Deeply sensitive to the solitude permeating existence, she investigates the fragile, often fleeting nature of connection—between humans and objects, objects and objects, and their overlapping agencies. In her work, movement is not merely a mechanical function but a subtle language, a force that reveals the impermanence and quiet tensions embedded in the material world.By observing how the movements of objects evoke emotional parallels to human experiences, she translates these ephemeral interactions into poetic metaphors—gestures of closeness and distance, holding and letting go.Yuelin’s work does not seek resolution but lingers in the liminal spaces between stillness and motion, connection and dissolution. She embraces contingency and impermanence, allowing objects to unfold in time, revealing their own quiet agency. Through these orchestrated yet unpredictable interactions, she invites viewers to witness silent dialogues that transcend the boundaries of the human—where the movement of an object is not simply mechanical but a fleeting trace of presence, a reflection of change, and a moment of attunement. Yuelin Li is an artist who creates kinetic sculptures and installations that explore the emotional resonance of objects in motion. Deeply sensitive to the solitude permeating existence, she investigates the fragile, often fleeting nature of connection—between humans and objects, objects and objects, and their overlapping agencies. In her work, movement is not merely a mechanical function but a subtle language, a force that reveals the impermanence and quiet tensions embedded in the material world.By observing how the movements of objects evoke emotional parallels to human experiences, she translates these ephemeral interactions into poetic metaphors—gestures of closeness and distance, holding and letting go.Yuelin’s work does not seek resolution but lingers in the liminal spaces between stillness and motion, connection and dissolution. She embraces contingency and impermanence, allowing objects to unfold in time, revealing their own quiet agency. Through these orchestrated yet unpredictable interactions, she invites viewers to witness silent dialogues that transcend the boundaries of the human—where the movement of an object is not simply mechanical but a fleeting trace of presence, a reflection of change, and a moment of attunement. Yuelin Li is an artist who creates kinetic sculptures and installations that explore the emotional resonance of objects in motion. Deeply sensitive to the solitude permeating existence, she investigates the fragile, often fleeting nature of connection—between humans and objects, objects and objects, and their overlapping agencies. In her work, movement is not merely a mechanical function but a subtle language, a force that reveals the impermanence and quiet tensions embedded in the material world.By observing how the movements of objects evoke emotional parallels to human experiences, she translates these ephemeral interactions into poetic metaphors—gestures of closeness and distance, holding and letting go.Yuelin’s work does not seek resolution but lingers in the liminal spaces between stillness and motion, connection and dissolution. She embraces contingency and impermanence, allowing objects to unfold in time, revealing their own quiet agency. Through these orchestrated yet unpredictable interactions, she invites viewers to witness silent dialogues that transcend the boundaries of the human—where the movement of an object is not simply mechanical but a fleeting trace of presence, a reflection of change, and a moment of attunement. Yuelin Li is an artist who creates kinetic sculptures and installations that explore the emotional resonance of objects in motion. Deeply sensitive to the solitude permeating existence, she investigates the fragile, often fleeting nature of connection—between humans and objects, objects and objects, and their overlapping agencies. In her work, movement is not merely a mechanical function but a subtle language, a force that reveals the impermanence and quiet tensions embedded in the material world.By observing how the movements of objects evoke emotional parallels to human experiences, she translates these ephemeral interactions into poetic metaphors—gestures of closeness and distance, holding and letting go.Yuelin’s work does not seek resolution but lingers in the liminal spaces between stillness and motion, connection and dissolution. She embraces contingency and impermanence, allowing objects to unfold in time, revealing their own quiet agency. Through these orchestrated yet unpredictable interactions, she invites viewers to witness silent dialogues that transcend the boundaries of the human—where the movement of an object is not simply mechanical but a fleeting trace of presence, a reflection of change, and a moment of attunement.
© 2025 Yuelin.

I Know a Place

In this installation “I Know a Place”, I explored the intricate parallels between object interactions and human connections, delving into how external factors such as time and space influence these dynamics. The piece aims to evoke a deep emotional response through the nuanced interplay of movement and symbolism. This installation features an automaton (about 2'×2'×2') and a white balloon, tethered together. The automaton and the balloon move within an area (about 13’x13’), defined by hundreds of white threads that hang down from the ceiling and form a square space. Each thread is adorned with a needle positioned just above the balloon.

5/12/2024
‍Recycled metal, custom CNC gears, Arduino components, white balloon
‍Variable Dimensions

In 'I Know a Place', the automaton and the balloon are not merely objects; they are rich with symbolic meaning.

The automaton, constructed from rigid, aging materials, represents stability and perhaps the weariness that accumulates over time in relationships.

In contrast, the balloon—light, airy, and delicate—symbolizes vulnerability and the capacity for uplift and buoyancy in human spirit. Their tethering illustrates the interdependence often seen in close relationships, where each entity, despite its distinct qualities, influences and supports the other.

The constrained space within which they operate highlights the limitations and boundaries inherent in any relational dynamic, emphasizing how external conditions like personal boundaries and societal norms impact individual roles and interactions.

They breath life into the delicate tension that binds us, capturing the silent dialogue of interdependence and vulnerability.

The ever-present threat of the balloon’s bursting,
the automaton’s inevitable decay,
the poetic reflection on the perpetual give and take,
the intricate interplay shaped by the unseen forces that shape our relational journeys,
all against the relentless passage of time.