YI LING LAI 賴 倚翎
As an international visual artist, Ling aspires to evoke interdisciplinary and cross-cultural dialogues in her works.
Yi Ling Lai (b.1997) lives and works in London and Taiwan. She completed her Bachelor's degree in Calligraphy Art and Chinese Painting at the National Taiwan University of Art in 2019 and a Postgraduate Degree in MFA Fine Art at Kingston University in 2021.
Drawing on both eastern and western traditions, Ling has developed her artistic practice of Chinese calligraphy, paintings, and drawings. She combines these traditions to explore ideas, systems, and experiences of language and its limits. Her practice tests both the restrictions and possibilities of traditional Chinese calligraphy to explore themes of desire, ambivalence, and obsession; subjects that are typically considered impossible to express in traditional calligraphy.
She explores these subjects using simplified traditional Chinese calligraphy characters and repetitive mark-making techniques. Without excessive sketches or references, the outcomes are authentically pure. However, she still considers semi-cursive script a necessary element to present her style in painting, bringing language to another level through transformation and integration.
The use of line in Ling's works is at once diaristic and abstract, descriptive and opaque, creating unique rhythms across time and space. The relationship between each line presents a dialogue, which gradually becomes visible through impressions of thoughts, interacting through reduction and amplification.
Lately, Yi Ling is dedicated to bridging cultural divides by fostering a greater understanding and appreciation of Chinese calligraphy within the diverse communities of the UK. Her aim is to provide accessibility to people from various backgrounds and interests. She remains committed to collaborating with different groups, sharing this beautiful and traditional art form.
CV
EDUCATION
2019 - 2021 MFA Fine Arts Kingston School of Arts, Kingston University, London, UK
2015 - 2019 BFA Chinese Painting and Calligraphy Art, National Taiwan University of Arts, Taiwan
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
2024 Journey through Time, Group Exhibition, Whitehall Gardens, UK
2023 SOTA’s Accessible Art Fair, Group Exhibition,The Leb E20, UK
2022 Public Art Programme, Art Exhibition, LSE Marshall Building, UK
2022 Not My Beautiful House, Group Exhibition, Kingston, London, UK
2022 Circles in Circle, Curated Artists Exhibition, OPEN Ealing, UK
2022 Taiwan Tourism Bureau London Office Show, Art Exhibition, London, UK
2021 Arts Noelle, Group Exhibition, Gallery Oui, London, UK
2021 LONDON GRADS NOW. 21, Art Exhibition, Saatchi Gallery, London, UK
2021 10 ARTISTES, Art Exhibition, Croq’la Vie Gallery, Saint-Clar, France
2021 KSA Graduation Show 2021, Online, Group Exhibition, London, UK
2021 MFA Fine Art Degree Show, Group Exhibition, Swan Studio, London, UK
2021 Distanced Domestic, Art Exhibition, London, UK
2021 The Visitor, Online, Group Exhibition, London, UK
2021 Translation, Solo Exhibition, Swan Studio, London, UK
2019 Heterogeneity, Art Exhibition, National Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall, Taipei, Taiwan
2019 Rotary Club of Panchiao Art Exhibition, Group Exhibition, Shi Xi gallery, Taiwan
2018 NTUA Anniversary Fine Arts Exhibition, Group Exhibition, Shi Xi gallery, Taiwan
2018 Some Flowers, Group Exhibition, Taipei, Taiwan
2018 National Art Exhibition, National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taiwan
2018 Dot, Group Exhibition, Taiwan
2018 Time. Time, Group Exhibition, Bopiliao Historic Block, Taiwan
GRANTS AND AWARDS
2022 Saatchi Art 2022 Rising Star Award: Yi Ling Lai, US
2021 Blue Shop Gallery Artist Residency Scholarship, London, UK
2021 New Contemporaries 2021, Shortlisted: "Sequela", London, UK
2019 Rotary Club of Panchiao Extraordinary Art Grant, New Taipei City, Taiwan
2018 Anniversary Fine Arts Exhibition Calligraphy Excellence Award: "Love Song", Taiwan
2018 Anniversary Fine Arts Exhibition Ink Painting Shortlisted: "Sumptuous Cuisine",, Taiwan
2018 Anniversary Fine Arts Exhibition Seal Carving Shortlisted: "Travel Map", Taiwan
2018 National Art Exhibition Ink Painting Shortlisted, National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taiwan
2017 Tamkang University Sketch Competition Landscape Sketch Winner, Taipei, Taiwan
2013 National Student Art Competition Printmaking Winner, Tainan, Taiwan
PRESS AND PUBLICATIONS
2023 Artron.Net
2023 ARTalks
2023 Art Vanguard.
2023 Artiq
2023 Blackdot Gallery
2023 KBCE
2023 “Artist peer-to-peer mentoring scheme: Yi Ling Lai & Jo Lewis.”, Artiq Summer Newsletter
2023 Putney High School
2023 Artiq
2022 Artiq
2022 Saatchi Art
2022 CNA
2022 Ocacnews
2021 London Post
2021 The River
2021 “Help Artists Grow.” Blue Shop Cottage, 2019.
2021 LADEPECHE.fr
2021 e-flux
2021 Co-Curation
2019 Da Guan of Ink Painting Calligraphy Art, Issue Fifty Four, p.43
2019 “Heterogeneity.” Publication, July 2019: p.68-69.
2018 Da Guan of Ink Painting Calligraphy Art, Issue Fifty Two
2018 “2018 National Art Exhibition.” National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts
2018 Art Emperor
SELECTED PUBLIC COMMISSIONS
2024 Top Hat, Sculpture, Whitehall Gardens, London, UK
2023 Shuidiao Getou, Calligraphy, The British Museum, UK
2022 Mindset 04, Mural painting, LSE Marshall Building, London, UK
2020 Untitled, Public Commission, 3muzimmer Interior Design Studio, Taiwan
SPECIAL EVENTS
2024 Workshop Instructor in Camden Council’s International Women Day Event, London, UK
2024 Workshop Instructor in Ffern’s Lunar New Year Event, London, UK
2024 Calligrapher in the Plumstead Centre’s Lunar New Year Event, London, UK
2024 Calligrapher in St Paul’s Girls School’s Lunar New Year Special Session, London, UK
2024 Calligrapher in JW Anderson’s Lunar New Year Event, London, UK
2024 Calligrapher in Prada’s Lunar New Year Event, London, UK
2023 Workshop Instructor in Mid-Autumn Festival Event, The British Museum, UK
2023 Workshop Instructor in Chinese Painting, Ffern, London, UK
2023 Workshop Instructor in Chinese Calligraphy, Blackdot Gallery, London, UK
2023 Workshop Instructor in Chinese Calligraphy, Camden Summer University, The British Museum, London
2023 Guest Artist for Diageo International Women's Day Lunch Event, London, UK
2023 Workshop Teacher in Chinese Calligraphy, Visiting Artist Programme, Putney High School, London
2023 Workshop Teacher in Chinese Calligraphy, Macmillan Cancer Support, London, UK
2023 Workshop Director & Calligrapher for Taiwan Tourism Bureau London Office Event, Destinations Show
2023 Calligrapher in Prada Lunar New Year Event, London & Manchester, UK
2022 Workshop Director & Calligrapher for Taiwan Tourism Bureau, Old Spitalfields Market, UK
2021 Co-curator of “London Grads Now. 21”, Saatchi Gallery, London, UK
2021 Teacher in Calligraphy, Hua Hsia Chinese School, Easter Camp Art Programme, London
2020 Visiting Art Lecturer in Painting, YongKang Elementary School, Tainan, Taiwan
2019 Co-curator and Host of “Heterogeneity,” Group Exhibition, Yat-Sen gallery, Taiwan
2019 Co-curator and Host of “Time.Time”, Group Exhibition, Bopiliao Historic Block, Taiwan
2016 Representative of Visiting Artist Programme, Chongqing University, China
ARTIST RESIDENCY
2021 AMASSA, Blue Shop Cottage, Mauroux, France