We were lucky to catch up with Yanqing Pan recently and have shared our conversation below.

Yanqing, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

One of the most meaningful projects I’ve worked on is a sculpture titled Cendres vertes. It’s a piece that deeply reflects my personal journey and my relationship with nature, memory, and time. The work consists of a tall wooden structure dyed with indigo, transitioning from a deep, almost black blue at the top to the raw, untouched wood at the base. The dyeing process was especially meaningful because traditional indigo is a living material—it begins green and transforms into blue as it oxidizes, a metaphor for the slow passage of time and the transformation inherent in life.

The project’s context was rooted in a period of personal reflection. I created it while navigating questions about human impact on nature and how we as individuals fit into larger cycles of change. The sculpture resembles a solitary figure, standing in contemplation or quiet protest, embodying both resilience and vulnerability. Its form, like a burnt matchstick, questions what is lost and what remains after we’ve left our mark on the world.

This piece is meaningful to me because of the emotions and memories it evokes. It was inspired by moments of solitude in the natural world—watching the tides rise and fall, walking through forests, and observing how light shifts across a landscape. These quiet experiences shaped not only this project but also my understanding of how art can speak to our shared connections with nature and time.

When the piece was displayed in an indoor space overlooking a window with a view of trees and sky, it felt complete. Seeing viewers engage with it—some describing it as a person, others as a flame—validated my belief that art is a conversation. This project continues to guide my practice, reminding me of the power of stillness, transformation, and the stories materials can tell.

Yanqing, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am an artist who works primarily with natural materials—fibers, lint, dirt, stone and dust—to create tactile, conceptual works that explore time, memory, and our relationship with the natural world. My journey into this discipline has been shaped by a lifelong curiosity about the unseen and unspoken aspects of life. Growing up in bustling Beijing, surrounded by its ceaseless activity, I often sought quiet spaces where I could reflect on the textures and layers of my environment.

Initially, I pursued writing, fascinated by the metaphors and narratives that literature can construct. However, I soon realized that language, while beautiful, has its limitations—it often cannot fully capture the complexity of experience. This realization led me to visual and material mediums, where I found greater freedom to explore ideas through forms, textures, and processes. Studying fibers and sculpture at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago allowed me to deepen this exploration and refine my craft. I’m currently continuing my studies in the sculpture department at Cranbrook.

For those who follow or are new to my work, I want them to know that my art is not about providing answers but about sparking questions. It’s an invitation to pause, observe, and connect with the subtleties of the world around us. Whether through large-scale installations, intimate sculptures, or collaborative projects, I aim to create works that leave room for introspection and dialogue.

At its core, my practice is about bridging the tangible and intangible, the seen and unseen, and creating spaces where these boundaries dissolve. For clients and collaborators, I bring a commitment to thoughtful, meaningful work that pushes creative boundaries while remaining deeply rooted in the material world.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

At the heart of my creative journey lies a desire to explore and deepen our understanding of the interconnectedness between humans, nature, and time. My mission is to use art as a medium to challenge perceptions of materiality and to question the boundaries we often take for granted—between the tangible and intangible, stability and fragility, creation and decay.

I aim to create work that invites people to pause, reflect, and reconnect with the subtleties of their environment. In a world that moves so quickly, I believe there’s value in slowing down to notice the textures of life—the way light shifts across a surface, the quiet transformation of materials over time, or the marks left by touch and interaction.

Another key aspect of my mission is to bridge the divide between human-made and natural processes. By using materials like indigo, fibers, or even dust—materials that carry their own history and interact dynamically with time—I hope to remind people that we are not separate from nature but deeply embedded within it. This connection is often overlooked in modern life, and my work seeks to make it visible and felt.

Ultimately, my goal is to create art that speaks to universal experiences while leaving space for personal interpretation. I want viewers to engage with my work in a way that sparks their own questions and memories, allowing them to find meaning that resonates uniquely with them. My creative journey is as much about discovery as it is about sharing that sense of wonder and reflection with others.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is the opportunity to create something that resonates deeply with others while also serving as a personal exploration of ideas and emotions. Art allows me to connect with people on levels that transcend language or cultural barriers, inviting them into a shared space of reflection, curiosity, and emotion.

One of the most fulfilling moments is when someone engages with my work and shares how it made them feel or what it reminded them of—something personal or completely different from what I initially intended. These moments reaffirm the universality of art as a medium to connect and communicate. It’s incredibly rewarding to know that something I created sparked a new perspective or a meaningful memory for someone else.

On a personal level, the process of making art is deeply rewarding. Experimenting with materials, observing their transformations, and navigating the challenges of bringing an idea to life feel both meditative and exhilarating. There’s a special kind of joy in seeing an abstract thought take physical form, knowing it carries traces of my experiences and thought processes, yet is open to interpretation by others.

Being an artist means embracing constant learning and discovery. Each project pushes me to ask new questions, explore unfamiliar concepts, and expand my technical skills. This endless cycle of growth—both as an individual and as a creative—keeps my work and my journey dynamic and meaningful.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.yanqingpan.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yanqing_cindy/profilecard/?igsh=dTB5ZzYwZHg3ODg0

Image Credits

Daniel Ribar
Che Pai
Yuhan Sun