Lu Yang's Digital Avatars: Buddhist Philosophy Meets Biomedical Horror
Lu Yang, an artist from Shanghai born in 1984 and a graduate of the China Academy of Art, blends elements of biomedical horror, kawaii culture, and Eastern metaphysics. Her notable works include UterusMan (2013), Cancer Baby (2014), and Wrathful King Kong Core (2011), which interrogate notions of identity and self. The DOKU cycle, her significant achievement, features a digital avatar derived from a high-definition facial scan, embodying the Buddhist concept of dokusho dokushi. The six DOKU versions correspond with the Buddhist Wheel of Life. In DOKU – the Self (2022), the avatar's decapitation represents the death of the ego. Identifying as non-binary, Lu Yang was awarded the BMW Art Journey in 2019 and Deutsche Bank Artist of the Year in 2022, showcasing her work at the 2022 Venice Biennale.
Key facts
- Lu Yang was born in Shanghai in 1984.
- She studied at the China Academy of Art in Hangzhou under Zhang Peili.
- Wrathful King Kong Core (2011) is an early work exploring biological automatism.
- UterusMan (2013) is a genderless superhero with a uterus-shaped body.
- Cancer Baby (2014) features tumor cells as cute characters.
- DOKU is a digital avatar created from a high-definition facial scan.
- DOKU has six incarnations corresponding to Buddhist realms.
- Lu Yang won the BMW Art Journey in 2019 and Deutsche Bank Artist of the Year in 2022.
- Her work was in the 2022 Venice Biennale Central Pavilion.
- Solo exhibitions at ARoS, New Museum, Fondation Louis Vuitton, and MUDEC.
- Lu Yang identifies as non-binary.
- Her aesthetic draws from otaku culture, anime, and video games.
Entities
Artists
- Lu Yang
- Zhang Peili
- Miao Xiaochun
Institutions
- China Academy of Art
- ARoS
- New Museum
- Fondation Louis Vuitton
- MUDEC
- BMW
- Deutsche Bank
- Venice Biennale
Locations
- Shanghai
- China
- Hangzhou
- Aarhus
- Denmark
- New York
- USA
- Venice
- Italy
- Milan