Yushi Li

Born in China in 1991, Yushi Li works mainly in photography and is currently studying for a PhD in Arts and Humanities at the Royal College of Art. Her work focuses on topics such as the gaze and gender power relations, challenging gender stereotypes and exploring new non-binary gender relations through photography.

Most of Yushi Li's works photograph nude Western men to explore the possibilities of the male figure, to create images of desire as she understands it, and to explore the ways in which women express their desires. In the works in which the artist appears, the clothed woman contrasts sharply with the nude male, who looks directly into the camera and dominates the scene. By playing an active, powerful role, the artist questions the dichotomy of male initiative and female passivity that has been so widespread in art history.