Artist’s Website: https://www.yifeicheng.info/
Biography:
Yifei Cheng was born in Beijing, China, and has lived in China, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Growing up in this international environment, she learned to appreciate the diversity in our society and to understand a broad group of people. Yifei Cheng is a multimedia visual artist. As Cheng explores social issues, she is also fascinated by color variation. Her work is a reflection of her life journe.
Artist Statement:
Hands over dried by sanitizer；
Untouchable friends;
Visiting family through the screen.
The Wall is a series of photographs depicting lifestyle changes brought on by the pandemic of 2020. There is an “invisible wall” between people. Before the pandemic, human contact, time spent with loved ones was the norm. Now we chat virtually and barely see each other without the aid of a camera. Meeting friends and colleagues has become an extravagant thing. We hear each other more than we see each other. A simple hug is a fantasy.
How will we breach the wall to feel each other’s presence again?
The Wall, 10.6 by 18.8 inches each image, 2021, Digital photography print on archival paper
Translation of Chinese Text: Video chat with my grandmother from my mother’s side during the Chinese Spring Festival in 2021. Our original plan for 2020 summer was that I go back home to visit her, but because of the pandemic I could not travel back. My grandmother cannot live alone because of health issues, so my aunt moved in to live with her in 2020. My grandfather from my mother’s side died of a myocardial infarction after I returned to the United States in the summer of 2019. Because of the pandemic, until now, I have been unable to travel back to China to pay homage to my grandfather.
Translation of Chinese text: My toothpick holder was given to me by my grandmother when I returned to China in the summer of 2019 and she asked me to take it with me to the United States. A toothpick holder is a very common practical ornament in Chinese families, but it is in infrequent use in the younger generation. Despite this, when I moved from New York to Seattle in mid-2020, I packed it into my luggage without thinking about it. The point is not to use it, but the toothpick holder stays by my side just like my grandmother always accompanies me. With the increase of the time that the border has been blocked by the epidemic, the yearning for relatives has also intensified.
Translation of Chinese text: My grandmother from my mother’s side in the spring of 2019 had an illness, lived for six months in the hospital until 2020, and was discharged. When the Covid-19 broke out in early 2020, my grandmother was still in the hospital, and I was extremely anxious when I was abroad. I hope my grandmother can be safe. After my grandmother was discharged from the hospital, I discussed with my mother that she would help me to ask for the Guanyin for my grandmother, in order to protect her safety and health. I can’t return to China because of the pandemic, so my mother showed it to me through video.
Translation of Chinese tex: My grandmother was showing me her newly grown black hair. She said, “Your aunt has taken really good care of me. Since I was discharged from the hospital, I eat a sea cucumber every day. I’m already 90-year-old and can still grow so much black hair. It’s not magic!” I responded: “It’s magic! It must be because you are in a good mood and had a nice sleep after you got back home!” If there was no pandemic, I would go back to see my grandmother every year. My grandmother is so old that I feel sad when I think about it.
Translation of Chinese text: My mother used her mobile phone to video with us at my grandmother’s home. My grandma was old and weak, very aware of the virus. Every time my mother went to my grandma’s home, she wore a mask to chat with her. I will graduate in May 2021. Before the pandemic, our plan was that my parents would come to the United States in February to celebrate Chinese New Year with us together, and then they would return to China after attending my graduation ceremony in May. However, the pandemic disrupted our plans, and now we can only celebrate the New Year together through video chat, and the graduation ceremony in May will also be held remotely.
Translation of Chinese text: The tradition of Chinese New Year is to wear red clothes and to place red couplets and spring couplets at home. Red represents good luck. Originally, my parents were planning to come to the United States to spend the Spring Festival with us, but because of the pandemic and the border block, we could only celebrate the New Year together through video chat. I was showing my newly painted red nail polish to my mother. She said that girls should dress up beautifully. I have not put-on makeup or nail polish for more than a year because of studying and working at home.
Translation of Chinese text: My aunt heard me calling the video and immediately ran over to ask for a video together. Today, she just finished the first shot of the Covid vaccine and went home. She felt very sleepy when she went home and fell asleep in bed. But she was so happy to hear my voice and wanted to chat with me. We have not seen each other for almost 2 years. We miss each other very much. When I was a child, my parents were busy with work, and my aunt took care of me most of the time. We have a really deep relationship.
Translation of Chinese text: The topic we cannot avoid talking about every time when I video chat with my father is to persuade him to quit smoking. He said:” Now is the Spring Festival which is celebrating the New Year. Smoking is allowed during the festival.” Originally, my parents planned to come to the United States during the Spring Festival. I also wanted to take this opportunity to discuss with him the issue of quitting smoking, but it was put aside because of the pandemic. Persuasion from the video chat is never as powerful as face-to-face persuasion.
Translation of Chinese text: In the Spring Festival of 2021, my husband and his mother are celebrating Chinese New Year through video chat. He has not gone back to China for more than 2 years. He originally wanted to go back to China for the Spring Festival in early 2020, but he could not go back because of the border blockade due to the pandemic. His mother placed the paper-cuts and couplets for the Spring Festival at his home, and the festive atmosphere was very strong.
Translation of Chinese text: My grandmother, from my father’s side, has lived alone since her husband passed away in 2020. She is a very independent person, a very hard personality when you see her. She goes to the supermarket by herself; she goes to walk by herself; she goes to the hospital by herself; she never needs or asks to be accompanied. But when I was video chatting with her, she was very excited and kept touching me on the phone screen, because she thought that she could touch me through the screen. Since my grandfather passed away last year, I have not been able to return to China to pay homage to my grandfather due to the pandemic. I remembered when I was a child, I lived at my grandparents’ house during the summer break. They taught me how to swim. Later in junior high school, I took the first place in the swimming competition in Beijing. My grandparents have always been proud of this. Every time I go back to visit them, they have to talk about it once again.
