He Yunchang’s artistic practice: A beam of light into the future

Abstract

This article explores the work of He Yunchang (Yunnan, 1967), an artist who brings together lived and artistic experience to reflect on the conflicts of contemporary society. He makes use of his body to transcend physical and psychic boundaries, and by embodying structural violence he pushes sociopolitical frameworks to imagine and project a better future. Focusing on a selection of his performances, undertaken between 1999 and the present day, this article explores He Yunchang’s desire to open a utopian path by means of artistic creation. I suggest that his work demonstrates that nothing is impossible. He Yunchang undertakes titanic ritualistic performances, both metaphorical and physical. These evoke ancient myths, legends and ascetic practices and show the potential of all individuals and communities to improve our world. He Yunchang explores the butterfly effect and situates art in a sociopolitical context, making manifest its capacity to beam light into the future. This article analyses the artist’s exploration of subject’s capacities to change a dystopic reality.