Jessie Li's Participatory Installations Transform Everyday Objects into Memory Investigations

Chinese-born artist Jessie Li, based in West Yorkshire, creates site-specific installations that transform ordinary objects into explorations of personal memory and community dialogue. Her work involves collaboration with local residents through interviews and fieldwork, turning overlooked urban spaces into platforms for marginalized voices. Li holds an MA in Situated Practice from UCL's Bartlett School of Architecture and is currently part of the Helsinki International Artist Programme. Notable projects include 'Temporary Tenants' (2025) in Hebden Bridge, where a modified shopping trolley facilitated community exchange, and her video installation 'When We Look into Each Other's Eyes,' longlisted for the 2025 Aesthetica Art Prize, which examines familial relationships through domestic items. Her artistic practice bridges Chinese painting training with contemporary interdisciplinary media.