Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Yiyun Chen. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Yiyun thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I moved to the States with my parents when I was 20 years old, back in 2008. Very similar to other Chinese immigrants, we all started out working at a restaurant or grocery stores. Language was a barrier and not many of us bothered to cross that line. I was the same back then. Though I started to realize, if I don’t make any changes, I would end up having a life that those older immigrants had. They spent their whole life working in Chinatown in Cleveland, never really leaving the area. Through some random opportunity, I started to explore the photography world. I use that as the excuse to leave my living circle, just so I can take more images outside of Chinatown. Eventually, a couple years later, there was me holding a bachelor and a master degrees in photography. And I thought to myself, “might as well just be an instructor of this field”, so I currently teach as a photography professor at higher ed.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I think I can proudly say that I am still an artist and am still making art. I know it sounds weird, but it is the reality. For most cases, art can’t help you make enough money to survive. Then you need to figure out how to continue your career, if you decide to continue at all. It is hard, but it is what it is. Keep researching and creating, trust in yourself; and do not make excuses if you love what you are doing. At the beginning of my career, I was always afraid to express my thoughts, especially since I came from a different cultural, family and education background. Of course we will read images and use image language in many different ways because we differ as individuals. As a photographer and visual artist, never lose your personal identity, even better, why not let it become your voice.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

“You will do better than others if you love it.” I can’t remember who told me this or where I saw these words, but this line is stuck in my head.

I never really thought I would create my own business. I was just doing ordinary things in my career. I did many different jobs after moving to Cleveland from China, like waiter, porter, bagger, line cook ets. I can’t say I was enjoying those working experiences, but I appreciate all the people I met. Through these processes, you can eventually find what you love.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

At the beginning of my career, I was always afraid to express my thoughts, especially since I came from a different cultural, family and education background. Of course we will read images and use image language in many different ways because we differ as individuals. As a photographer and visual artist, never lose your personal identity, even better, why not let it become your voice.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://yiyunchen.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yyyycccc4444/