Ruoyi Shi is an interdisciplinary artist working with objects, writings, performances, and video installation. Inspired by folklore, oral history, mythology, and personal memory, she combines humor and fiction to construct her own poetic narratives. Through her practice, Ruoyi plays a world-building game with the figures and creatures she invents and she invites audiences to participate in her alternative reality.
"He means to awe men first." To convince people to support this uprising, they wrote "Chen She will be king!" in vermilion on silk and placed it in the belly of a fish. When the conscripts bought the fish and cooked it, they were amazed to find this writing in its belly."
This story has been included as required reading for Chinese middle school students since 1960. It was deleted from the textbook in 2019.
In human oral languages, fish might not refer to terrestrial animals. However, Tetrapods emerged within lobe-finned fishes. So, cladistically, humans and dinosaurs are fish as well.
This fish story was the most unreal and unbelievable part of that revolution. Chen and Wu borrowed the power from the fish, and made up a prophecy for themselves and others. Somehow, the human-made words became a revelation after traveling through the fish's stomach. The fictitious belief contributed and led the uprising to a temporary victory.
I have many questions for that fish ——
Did it perceive the man who cut it open and inserted the letter as the same species as itself? Did it feel amused when seeing the truth being manipulated and humans being deceived? Did it like to hold the power of predicting the future or becoming a courier from the unknown? Words, or messages constructed by words, were never part of a fish's diet. Did it even understand the language it once carried in its belly?
I created a game with three ceramic fish I made and an avatar I played as. I marked the journeys on a map. By recreating this historic moment, I thought I might find the answers.
Sima Qian, Records of the Grand Historian, House of Chen She, 94BC
This story has been included as required reading for Chinese middle school students since 1960. It was deleted from the textbook in 2019.
In human oral languages, fish might not refer to terrestrial animals. However, Tetrapods emerged within lobe-finned fishes. So, cladistically, humans and dinosaurs are fish as well.
This fish story was the most unreal and unbelievable part of that revolution. Chen and Wu borrowed the power from the fish, and made up a prophecy for themselves and others. Somehow, the human-made words became a revelation after traveling through the fish's stomach. The fictitious belief contributed and led the uprising to a temporary victory.
I have many questions for that fish ——
Did it perceive the man who cut it open and inserted the letter as the same species as itself? Did it feel amused when seeing the truth being manipulated and humans being deceived? Did it like to hold the power of predicting the future or becoming a courier from the unknown? Words, or messages constructed by words, were never part of a fish's diet. Did it even understand the language it once carried in its belly?
I created a game with three ceramic fish I made and an avatar I played as. I marked the journeys on a map. By recreating this historic moment, I thought I might find the answers.
Tomorrow’s Comforts are Here Today, 2021
Performance, video installation, writing
Performance, video installation, writing
Tomorrow’s Comforts are Here Today, 2021
Performance, video installation, writing
Performance, video installation, writing
Tomorrow’s Comforts are Here Today, 2021
Performance, video installation, writing
Performance, video installation, writing
I spent seven days in the gallery and made a casket for my sculpture.
"I want to bury it here," I told them, "this is such a perfect place for it, and I want to leave it here forever."
"You need to make a box for it," My friend said to me, "it's safer that way."
"Sure, I will make a coffin for my sculpture and take it back to where I found this creature, the Santa Clarita River."
"I want to bury it here," I told them, "this is such a perfect place for it, and I want to leave it here forever."
"You need to make a box for it," My friend said to me, "it's safer that way."
"Sure, I will make a coffin for my sculpture and take it back to where I found this creature, the Santa Clarita River."
Han, 2021
Video installation, performance with ceramic, fruit gum candies, and ice
Video installation, performance with ceramic, fruit gum candies, and ice
Han, 2021
Video installation, performance with ceramic, fruit gum candies, and ice
Video installation, performance with ceramic, fruit gum candies, and ice
Han, 2021
Artist serves fruit gum candies and silica gels wrapped in plastic package bags at the opening
Artist serves fruit gum candies and silica gels wrapped in plastic package bags at the opening
Han, 2021
Video installation, performance with ceramic, fruit gum candies, and ice
Video installation, performance with ceramic, fruit gum candies, and ice
Han, 2021
Notebook with sketches and a fruit gum candy recipe
Notebook with sketches and a fruit gum candy recipe
Han, 2021
Ceramic container and scoop, fruit gum candies molded in “Han” shapes, glass candy jar, paper tags
Ceramic container and scoop, fruit gum candies molded in “Han” shapes, glass candy jar, paper tags
Han(琀)
“琀，送死口中玉也。”
Han stands for the jade piece put in the mouth of the dead upon burial.
In Chinese traditions, people put jade in the mouth of the dead for blessings in the afterlife.
They are the wealth people carried, and sometimes serve as the replacement of the human tongue.
I used the artifacts collected in the Hubei Province Museum as a reference to make my version of "Han." I tried to put all of them in my mouth to gather as much fortune as possible for myself.
However, the other intention for Han is to keep the dead silent, as their mouths are stuffed with livestocks and money, so no words nor secrets will be told.