Soft Tissue: Sculpture and Works on Paper by Ya Ya Chou July 2, 2010

Born and raised in Taiwan, YaYa Chou moved to Los Angeles in 1997 to study Experimental Animation. Being inspired by scene and set design for clay animation, the award-winning filmmaker turned her interests to sculpture and installation. Without formal training in the visual art, Chou remains a self-taught mixed-media artist. YaYa Chou's works combine humor and commentary on modern lifestyles; they are inspired by language, social phenomenon and melody, stemmed from consumption, theory, and words. Mostly she investigates the assumption of what is natural and what is unnatural. Chou's latest body of work, the Soft Tissue series utilizes the Western medical terms to describe organ functionality and interaction, coupled with the Eastern medical philosophy in which organs bear emotions. She finds a parallel between organs, our life and social structures then re-interprets the meanings in humorous and bittersweet ways through drawings and installation inspired by anatomy illustrations of animals, plants and humans. The result is a collection of pieces that compel the audience to think differently about how they treat themselves and others, and how everyone is connected by sharing the same parts and emotions.