Fluid visions: Exploring lava, femininity, and form with Yizhen Li

In this interview, new media artist Yizhen Li shares the creative process behind Lava’s Lament, an immersive installation exhibited at Gray Area in San Francisco in early 2024 as part of Gray Area’s Cultural Incubator. Yizhen’s work blends soft materials, light, and projections to create a space that explores themes of femininity, memory, and the natural cycles that connect us to the environment.

Originally from Sichuan, China, Yizhen draws from traditional cultural elements and combines them with contemporary digital practices to create dynamic, multisensory experiences. Lava’s Lament reflects this approach, using a cone-shaped fabric structure as a vessel for projection and soundscapes inspired by volcanic imagery.

Listen to this episode to learn about:

• How Yizhen uses an iterative process to test and refine materials for this immersive installations.

• The challenges of blending digital projections with physical elements to evoke fluidity and wholeness.

• Yizhen’s insights into creating art that connects natural themes with personal and cultural narratives.

Highlights

• (00:05:00) Exploring femininity and nature through immersive art installations

• (00:03:19) Exploring volcanic imagery through ecofeminism and ancient philosophy
• (00:06:07) Creating immersive volcanic art with prototyping and visuals
• (00:10:29) Transforming art from materiality to immersive fluidity
• (00:14:20) Challenges in creating dynamic fabric structures for projections
• (00:16:11) Exploring materiality and living systems in media art
• (00:18:45) Embracing flexibility and adaptation in audiovisual work

About Yizhen Li

Yizhen Li is a new media artist and designer whose work encompasses audio-visual installations, generative art, and experience design. Her practice is distinguished by the innovative use of soft materials, light, and projections, blending traditional cultural elements with cutting-edge digital techniques to create immersive, fluid experiences.

Originally from Sichuan, China, Yizhen integrates materials like rice paper and textiles with ephemeral light to explore themes of femininity, memory, and environmental cycles. With a background in studio arts, stage design, and human interaction design, her dynamic approach pushes the boundaries of immersive media, continuously evolving to connect audiences with deeper cultural and natural narratives.

Key Takeaways from this interview with Yizhen Li

Lava’s Lament is an immersive installation exhibited at Gray Area in San Francisco, featuring a cone-shaped fabric structure that symbolises a volcano. Using soft materials, projections, and a layered six-minute soundscape, the piece explores themes of femininity, memory, and the natural cycles connecting humans and the environment. 

Prototyping

Yizhen experimented extensively with different fabrics to ensure they aligned with her vision. She tested textures, thicknesses, and reflectiveness to create surfaces that carried projections effectively while maintaining a sense of softness and fluidity.

“I tested fabrics with different textures and thicknesses to ensure the projections were clear, but still felt soft and inviting to the audience.”

Balancing digital and physical

The cone-shaped structure in Lava’s Lament served both as a vessel for projections and as a symbolic volcano. Yizhen carefully balanced aesthetics, technical functionality, and conceptual themes to make the space immersive and interactive.

“The cone-shaped fabric structure symbolised a volcano and determined how the audience would interact with and experience the work.”

Layering visuals with sound

The soundscape in Lava’s Lament was created in collaboration with the experimental duo Southeast of Rain. Yizhen edited the original composition to align with the visuals, creating an emotional journey that begins calmly, builds to a climax, and returns to tranquillity.

“The sound shifts between calm and intensity, mirroring the flow of the visuals and themes of the piece.”

Exploring fluidity and femininity

Inspired by eco-feminism and ancient Chinese philosophy, Yizhen used the volcano as a metaphorical vessel. The work focused on interconnectedness, continuity, and fluidity rather than literal depictions of volcanic activity.

“I wanted to explore cycles of nature and femininity, presenting them as interconnected parts of a self-generating process.”

Overcoming challenges with materiality

Choosing and adapting the right materials was one of Yizhen’s biggest challenges. She spent time sourcing fabrics, testing how they interacted with projections, and ensuring the structure felt both dynamic and accessible.

“I treated material testing like coding—adjusting and refining until everything worked together harmoniously.”

Advice

Yizhen encourages flexibility during the creative process, allowing concepts to evolve naturally. She highlighted the importance of experimentation and adapting ideas as the work develops.

“Don’t stress over your original idea—it will evolve throughout the process. Be open to change and let the work guide you.”

Links from the podcast  

• Follow Yizhen Li on Instagram
• Explore Gray Area
• Learn more about the  Gray Area Cultural Incubator
• Visit Southeast of Rain’s website