The Chinese American Arts Council affiliated 456 Art Gallery in New York will be showcasing the exhibition “Before the Storm” by Chen Youyin from now until May 31. Through photography, sketches, and oil paintings, the exhibition captures the myriad changes in the human and natural world, reflecting the artist’s move from Beijing, where she had lived for over twenty years, to New York during the three years of the COVID-19 pandemic, and her observations and interactions with herself and the outside world.
“Before the Storm” depicts Chen Youyin’s documentation of real-life events and the potential energy contained in the extreme silence of nature before a storm arrives. She expressed her desire to record the state of the world in the face of an uncontrollable pandemic. Breaking through the black netting, the red flames in her creations signify the free-flowing thoughts of humans, mirroring nature, symbolizing the vigor of life and releasing one’s true nature.
Among the landscape-focused artworks, the two portrait-based photography pieces “Three Years” stand out prominently. These were taken by the artist and her friends before attending events during the pandemic in China. The figures in the images wear large masks, their calm eyes staring straight ahead. The images are overlaid with a layer of netting and striking slender red lines.
Chen Youyin explained that this artwork represents the beginning of the pandemic when everyone was very cautious and felt uncomfortable not being able to dress up and make a grand entrance as usual. The netting symbolizes window screens, inspired by many people needing to work and study from home during the pandemic, only able to see the world through windows, while the vitality is represented through the red lines.
Chen Youyin has been involved in art creation for over twenty years, covering painting, imagery, and public art. She has held solo and group exhibitions in Beijing, London, Berlin, New York, and various regions worldwide, and has participated in multiple public art projects. She currently works and lives in New York and Beijing.
The exhibition “Before the Storm” runs from May 17 to May 31 at Gallery 456, open from Monday to Friday from 1 pm to 5 pm, or by appointment. The gallery is located at 456 Broadway, 3rd floor (elevator directly to the 3rd floor). Gallery contact information: 212-431-9740, email: [email protected], website: www.caacarts.org