Woman Crush Wednesday: Yushi Li
The Death of Actaeon © Yushi Li
By Nemo Chen
For the series "My tinder boy", how do you come up with this idea? What's your inspiration for this project?
I was actually using Tinder for dating at that time. I found Tinder this platform quite interesting and strange, where people 'like' others and promote themselves mainly by pictures. And I was also inspired by some erotic pictures of women with food I have seen at that time. So I thought it could be interesting to use Tinder to 'hunt' for men to make some 'delicious' images for myself.
My Tinder Boys---Lucas,-21,-27km-away © Yushi Li
The Dream of the Fisherwoman © Yushi Li
How do you choose your models, is there a particular thing or trait from them you were trying to look for?
Normally, I would go for men who have a kind of ordinary look, who are not stereotypically handsome or masculine.
How do you construct the scenes? Does it have anything to do with who's being filmed?
It depends. For example, in My Tinder Boys series, I had to improvise and work with the space those men have. After that, I think it's true that my photographs have become more and more constructed. Normally, I would have an image in my mind, which could be a fantasy I have or a scene inspired by a painting or a movie. And then I would try to find a place and models that would work for this scene. The models definitely make a difference in the work, as everyone and every body is different, which might change the scene I originally had in the end.
The Lovers © Yushi Li
The Hundred Eyes © Yushi Li
You mentioned that you want to create "a more dynamic relationship between the looked at object, the looking subject, and the viewer of the image, " how would you describe the relationship exactly?
I think this relationship is fluid and interchangeable, in which the gaze is always drifting and never fixed.
Your Reservation Is Confirmed (Skipping)
© Yushi Li
Describe your creative process in one word.
Control
If you could teach a one-hour class on anything, what would it be?
I think I would teach how to print colour in the dark room.
What was the last book you read or film you saw that inspired you?
I watched Pierrot le Fou not long ago, and I really enjoyed it.
The Nightmare © Yushi Li
What is the most played song in your music library?
Recently, it is The Smart Attitude by Tommy Flanagan.
How do you take your coffee?
Actually, I don't really drink coffee, more of a tea person :)
To view more of Yushi’s work, visit her website.
