Kyra Zhang
Interview | Raymond Wong
K | Kyra / M | MEMO
M: Who are you?
K: I am a Chinese artist specializing in participatory installations, and I am also a creative entrepreneur.
M: What do you do?
K: I collaborate with local communities to conduct diverse workshops and create interactive installations with detailed instructions. My artistic practice emphasizes participatory installations, allowing participants to engage freely. My work is playful, powerful, and distinct in nature.
M: When did you start considering yourself an artist?
K: The first time I truly considered myself an artist was during my first exhibition. Explaining my work to others felt more legitimate than just being an art student. Many artists believe in "faking it until you make it."
M: Where does your inspiration come from?
K: My work draws inspiration from daily actions and childhood games, integrating familiar elements. I believe that this familiarity makes the work more accessible, inviting the public to engage comfortably and connect with the experience.
M: Why do you make art?
K: I believe I am someone who deeply values human connections and is passionate about community building and creating collective spaces. I hope my future participatory, interactive installations will serve as bridges that unite and engage audiences meaningfully.
M: How do you see yourself in 10 years?
K: Currently, I'm exploring ways to combine my business and artistic sides. I'm working to integrate commercial art into my professional practice, aiming to make art more accessible and respected, even by those unfamiliar with con- temporary art.
Kyra's art focuses on creating interactive installations and playful works that transform audience participation into a key component of the experience. She often uses raw materials and found objects to create pieces that feel familiar and accessible. Her creative process involves thinking from the audience's perspective, choosing elements and creating structures based on how people typically react to things. Her works invite viewers to engage in specific actions, completing the connection and communication between the artwork and its audience, fos- tering co-creation and relationships between individuals.