The oeuvre of the Berlin-based artist David Zink Yi revolves around themes of creation, manifestation, and the construction of identity. Born in Lima in 1973, Zink Yi left Peru for Germany at the age of 16. Drawing inspiration from his own experiences, he interrogates the complex aspects of identity construction through his multi-disciplinary practice; encompassing film, photography, sculpture, performance, ceramics and multi-channel video installations, which all emphasize the social interrelation of the protagonists, as well as physiological aspects of musical perception.
Zink Yi’s art has gained attention for its critical engagement with culturally and emotionally determined actions and experiences. These actions, such as cooking, speaking, dancing, singing, writing and narrating, sketch the complexity of identity, identity-formation and their forms of expression and are most often the performative stimulus for making the works. Over the past decades, the artist has been using natural forms, ritual, music and dance to explore the complex motifs as constructed within cultural traditions. As a medium of expression, the body is often present in the works. It is the place at which the limits between outward and inward experience, between factual history and personal feeling, are drawn.
Over the past few years, Zink Yi has worked within the ceramic tradition to create sculptural works inspired by different molluscs and cephalopods such as octopus fragments, squids and architeuthidae. These elusive animals, with a rich history in myth and fine art, are understood as a complex living species opposite to the human one.
David Zink Yi
Biography
Print BiographyWoodcarving Diploma, Berufsfachschule, Munich, Germany, 1995 – 1998
Kunst Akademie, Munich, Germany, 1997 – 1999
Universität der Künste, Berlin, Germany, 1998 – 2003
Selected Solo Exhibitions
Johann König Galerie, 'David Zink Yi in collaboration with Angie Keefer. Being the Measure', Berlin, Germany
Proyecto amil, 'Horror Vacui', Lima, Peru
Kunstverein Braunschweig, ‘Why am I here and not somewhere else – Independencia II’, Braunschweig, Germany
Kunstfenster der Deutschen Wirtschaft im BDI, Berlin, Germany
MALI Museo de Arte de Lima, Lima, Peru
Neuer Berliner Kunstverein, ‘David Zink Yi’, Berlin, Germany
Midway Contemporary Art, ‘HORROR VACUI’, Minneapolis MN
Johann Koenig, ‘David Zink Yi’, Berlin, Germany
Open Space / Art Cologne, ‘Roma 395’, Cologne, Germany
Museum Ludwig, ‘Independencia I’, Cologne, Germany
Galerie Johann König, Berlin, Germany
Künstlerhaus Bremen, ‘Alrededor del dosel / Umgehen der Baumkronen’, Bremen, Germany
Selected Group Exhibitions
Gwangju Biennale, '14th Gwangju Biennale', Gwangju, South Korea
KAI10 – Arthena Foundation, 'Phantoms and Other Illusions', Dusseldorf, Germany
Times Art Center Berlin, 'Más allá, el Mar Canta', Berlin, Germany
Cidade da Cultura, 'Los blancos secretos de su panza', Santiago de Compostela, Spain
Hamburger Bahnhof – Museum für Gegenwart, 'Magical Soup. Media artworks in the collection of the Nationalgalerie, the Friedrich Christian Flick collection and selected loans', Berlin, Germany
Priska Pasquer, 'On Equal Terms II', Cologne, Germany
Conde Duque Cultural Center, 'VIDEO-TRANSLATIONS: gazes x spaces', Madrid, Spain
König London, 'I will be dead', London, UK
Langen Foundation, ‘Polyphon’, Dusseldorf, Germany
Bundeskunsthalle, ‘GERMANY IS NOT AN ISLAND. Contemporary Art Collection of the Federal Republic of Germany. Acquisitions 2012-2016’, Bonn, Germany
Unit 1 Gallery, ‘Beyond’, London, England
Montserrat College of Art, ‘Quietus’, Beverly MA
Centro Pecci, ‘The End of the World’, Prato, Italy
USF Contemporary Art Museum, ‘Extracted’, Tampa FL
KAT_A Kunst am Turm, ‘Fotografie Installation’, Bad Honnef-Rhöndorf, Germany
KAI 10, Arthena Foundation, ‘Lost Paradise’, Dusseldorf, Germany
Centre for Contemporary Art Ujazdowski Castle, ‘Slow Future’, Warsaw, Poland
Museum Cultuur Strombeek Gent, ‘The Ever Changing Body. Deel III’, Gent, Belgium
8th Berlin Biennale, ‘Keystone Fruit and Speed’, Berlin, Germany
Museum Kunst der Westküste, ‘Tiefseewelten. Zeitgenössische Skulptur und Videokunst’, Föhr, Germany
9th Bienal do Mercosul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
Athr Gallery, ‘Video(Works)’, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Hauser & Wirth London, ‘Trade Routes’ London, UK
Latin American Pavilion, La Biennale di Venezia, ‘El Atlas del
Imperio’, Venice, Italy
La Fundación Botín, ‘Itinerarios’, Santander, Spain
Herbert Gerisch-Stiftung, ‘Back’ to Earth, Neumunster, Germany
Georg Kolbe Museum, ‘BIOS – Konzepte des Lebens in der zeitgenössischen Skulptur’, Berlin, Germany
Copenhagen Art Festival, Copenhagen, Denmark
The National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design, ‘I Wish This Was a Song. Music in Contemporary Art’, Oslo, Norway
Ludwig Forum für Internationale Kunst, ‘The City that doesn’t exist. Images of global spaces’, Aachen, Germany
Fondazione Bevilacqua La Masa, Galleria di Piazza San Marco, ‘Doppio gioco – Double Game. The Ambiguity of the Photographic Image’, Venice, Italy
Charles H. Scott Gallery, Emily Carr University, ‘The Voyage, or Three Years at Sea Part III’, Vancouver, Canada
SAPS Sala de Arte Público Siqueiros, ‘La Institución redentora / The Redeeming Institution’, Mexico City, Mexico
Tate Modern, ‘No Lone Zone’, London, England
Dublin Contemporary, ‘Terrible Beauty: Art, Crisis, Change & The Office of Non-Compliance’, Dublin, Ireland
Schloss Dyck, ‘Austellung aus der Sammlung Rheingold’, Juchen, Germany
Fondation Musée d’Art Moderne Grand-Duc Jean, ‘Brave New World’, Luxembourg
Gladstone Gallery, ‘Summer Show’, New York NY
Museo de arte de Lima Contemporaneo, ‘Adquisiciones y donaciones 2008’, Lima, Peru
KW Institute for Contemporary Art, ‘FOR THE USE OF THOSE WHO SEE’, Berlin, Germany
Shedhalle, ‘Nahrung – kaleidoskopische Untersuchung eines Treibstoffs’, Zurich, Switzerland
10th Bienal de La Habana, Havana, Cuba
Kunstvereniging Diepenheim, ‘Backyard’, Diepenheim, Netherlands
Kunsthalle Tübingen, ‘Der innere Blick – Das Interieur in der zeitgenössischen Kunst’, Tübingen, Germany
Kunsthalle Düsseldorf, ‘Karl Schmidt Rottluff Stipendium’, Dusseldorf, Germany
Galerie für Zeitgenössische Kunst, ‘Carte Blanche III: „Gedichte der Fakten“ – Arbeiten aus der Sammlung Arend und Brigitte Oetker’, Leipzig, Germany
Galerie Museum Bozen / Stadtgalerie Schwaz, ‘Die Kunst des Alterns / L’arte di invecchiare / The Art of Growing Old’, Bolzano, Italy, and Schwaz, Austria
Kestner Gesellschaft / Sprengel Museum / Kunstverein Hannover, ‘Made in Germany’, Hanover, Germany
Galerie Johann König, ‘New Space’, Berlin, Germany
Centro Atlantico de Arte Moderno, ‘Scrabble. Video, Lenguaje y Abstracción’, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
OK Centrum für Gegenwartskunst Oberösterreich, ‘Die Ordnung der Natur I’, Linz, Austria
CCA Wattis Institute for Contemporary Arts, ‘Irreducible: Contemporary Short Form Video’, San Francisco CA (Travelling Exhibition)
Miami Art Central, ‘Irreducible: Contemporary Short Form Video’, Miami FL (Travelling Exhibition)
Bronx Museum of the Arts, ‘Irreducible: Contemporary Short Form Video’, New York NY (Travelling Exhibition)
Kunstverein Langenhagen, ‘Erzähl mal was… ‘, Langenhagen, Germany
Kunsthalle Bremen, ’50 Jahre Kunstpreis der Böttcherstrasse in Bremen’, Bremen, Germany
Kunstverein für die Rheinlande und Westfalen, ‘ars viva 05/05 – Zeit’, Dusseldorf, Germany (Travelling Exhibition)
Zacheta Narodowa Galeria Sztuki, ‘ars viva 05/05 – Zeit’, Warsaw, Poland (Travelling Exhibition)
Rheinschau, ‘Rheinschau 2004’, Cologne, Germany
International Foundation Manifesta, ‘Manifesta 5 San Sebastián 2004’, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Frankfurter Kunstverein, ‘Nation’, Frankfurt a. M., Germany
Opel Berlin, ‘Diffusion’, Berlin, Germany
Sammlung Falckenberg, Hamburg, Germany
Markus Richter Gallery, Berlin, Germany
Brandenburgischer Kunstverein, ‘Eyes look into the wall – Current Trends in video art’, Potsdam, Germany
Akademie der Künste, ‘Cooking happening as part of the exhibitioin Z-2000’, Berlin, Germany
Awards and Grants
Ars Viva Preis
MAK-Schindler Stipendium
Talks
Bibliography
Monographs
Publications
Adolphs, Volker, Berg, Stephan (eds.), 'Sound and Silence. Der Klang der Stille in der Kunst der Gegenwart. The Sound of Silence in Contemporary Art', Cologne: Wienand Verlag, 2020, ill. (exh. cat.)
Dziewior, Yilmas (ed.), 'Museum Ludwig. Kunst 20./21. Jahrhundert. Sammlung Malerei, Skulptur, Neue Medien', Cologne: Walther König, 2018
Candela, Iria, 'Art in Latin America. 1990-2010', London: Tate Publishing, 2013, ill.
Henatsch, Martin, 'Back to Earth. Die Wiederentdeckung der Keramik in der Kunst. Von Picasso bis Ai Weiwei', Neumünster: Wachholtz Verlag, 2013
Mohammed, Arsalan (ed.), 'Video(Works). A Group Exhibition', Jeddah: Athr Gallery, 2013, pp. 27-28, ill.
The Circle of Donors for the Böttcherstrasse Art Prize in Bremen + [et al.], '50 Years Böttcherstrasse Art Prize in Bremen ', Bremen: Kunsthalle Bremen, 2005 (exh. Cat.)
Press
Crichton-Miller, Emma, 'Strange Clay: Ceramics in Contemporary Art — immediate, unpredictable and outrageous', on: ft.com [Financial Times], 4 November 2022, ill.
Steer, Emily, '"Strange Clay" review: a mucky, uncanny, visceral survey of ceramic art', on: wallpaper.com, 29 October 2022, ill.
Durrant, Nancy, 'Strange Clay: Ceramics in Contemporary Art at the Hayward Gallery review - weird and wonderful. A show about this extraordinary, humble material that can say so much', on: standard.co.uk, 25 October 2022, ill.
___, 'Strange Clay: Ceramics in Contemporary Art at the Hayward Gallery October', on: londonnewsonline.co.uk [South London Press], 6 August 2022, ill.
Prince, Mark, 'Berlin Biennial 8', in: Frieze, London, September 2014, p. __
___, 'David Zink Yi. Sensual Structures', in: art - Das Kunstmagazin, Hamburg, June 2014, p. 50, ill.
Hinrichsen, Jens, 'David Zink Yi - In the Silver Mine', Berlin, June 2014, p. 52, ill.
Nedo, Kito, 'Customs', in: Süddeutsche Zeitung, Munich, 17/18 August 2013, p. 14, ill.
Hinrichsen, Jens, 'The wild stroke of our hearts', on: www.monopol-magazine.de, Berlin, 19 June 2013, ill.
Jovanovic, Rozalia, Art Basel's Unlimited Section for Really Big Art Gets Even Bigger ', on: www.artinfo.com, 16 April 2013, ill.
Bradley, Kimberly, ‘David Zink Yi’, in: ArtReview, London, Summer 2012, pp. 150-151, ill.
Hinrichsen, Jens, ‘Cult in Cuba’, on: www.monopol-magazin.de, Berlin, 21 March 2012, ill.
Hilgenstock, Andrea, ‘Rhythmus und Rollenspiel’, in: Kunst Zeitung, Regensburg, April 2012, p. 6
Perry, Colin, ‘No Lone Zone. Tate Modern London 27 January to 13 may’, in: Art Monthly, London, March 2012, p. 22
Bregman, A., 'Go See: David Zinc Yi at Hauser & Wirth', in: Art Observed, New York, 23 July 2011
Sarah Douglas, 'Fish Tale', New York Observer, 25 July 2011
Roberta Smith, 'David Zinc Yi: Pneuma ', The New York Times, 21 July 2011
Yablonsky, Linda,' Artifacts | Feats of Clay ', on: https://tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com, July 2011
___, 'Exhibition Edged Palm Trees', in: Neue Zürcher Zeitung, Zurich, 23 August 2009, p. 51
Schoch, Ursula Badrutt, 'Music Magic', in: St. Galler Tagblatt, St. Gall, 7 July 2009, ill.
Hess, Barbara, 'David Zink Yi. Ludwig Museum ', in: Flash Art, Milan, Vol. XXXIX , no. 251, November-December 2006, p. 124, ill.
Nemeczek, Alfred, 'Joy and displeasure with the current film culture of big museums', in: Kunstzeitung, Regensburg, No. 122, October 2006, p. unknown, ill.
Gross, Roland, 'Cologne: Rheingold's Video Images', in: Rheinische Post, Dusseldorf, 14 August 2006, p. unknown
Linden, Thomas, 'Rhythms from inside the drums', in: Kölnische Rundschau, Cologne, 15 July 2006, p. unknown
Di Blasi, Johanna, 'A little god is sitting in the drum', in: Kölner Stadtanzeiger, Cologne, 15 July 2006, p. unknown, ill.
___, 'The Artists Talk. A Cross Section of Art Life in Berlin, in: Flash Art, Milan, no. 247, Vol. XXXIX , March-April 2006, pp. 82-87, ill.
Schlo, 'A journey into the past', in: Tiroler Tageszeitung, Innsbruck, 11 November 2005, ill.
Brüggeler, Moni, 'Sensual reduction', in: Kronenzeitung, Vienna, 11 November 2005, ill.
Carnival, Christiane, 'Glimpses behind wooden facades', in: Die Neue, no. 269, 11 November 2005, ill.
___, 'The Sociographic View 12', in: Innsider, Innsbruck, November 2005, ill.
Boecker, Susanne, 'ars viva 04/05 - Time', in: Kunstforum, Ruppichteroth, Vol. 175, April-May 2005, pp. 293-295
___, 'News from the Kunstvereins', in: Informationsdienst Kunst, Regensburg, no. 320, 17 February 2005, p. 7
Reindl, Uta, 'Themes and Biennials. Lightning Strike in the Kirchenapsis', in: The Art Year, Regensburg, no. 4, 2004, pp. 186-187, ill.
Luz, Kathrin, 'David Zink Yi. Alrededor des dosel / Bypassing the Treetops', in: Kunstforum International, Ruppichteroth, no. 172, September-October 2004, pp. 320-321, ill.
___, 'Extended Peru Journey', in: Delmenshorster Kreisblatt, Delmenshorst, 29 July 2004, p. 6, ill.
Cartier, Stephan, 'Underneath All Trees Is Unruh', in: Wser Kurier, Bremen, 9 July 2004, p. 20, ill.
Bruggaier, Johannes, 'In the footsteps of the Harpy Eagle', in: Kreiszeitung, Syke, 17 July 2004, ill.
Bruggaier, Johannes, 'In the footsteps of the eagle', in: Rotenburger Kreiszeitung, Rotenburg, 7 July 2004, ill.
Cartier, Stephan, 'Underneath All Trees Is Unruh' ', in: Weser Kurier, Bremen, 9 July 2004, p. 20, ill.
___, 'Secret Tip David Zink Yi', in: Bremen News, Bremen, 9 July 2004, p. 1
Mathonnet, Philippe, 'La Manifesta 5, biennale des jeunes humaniste', in: Le Temps, Geneva, 8 July2004, p. 34, ill.
Wiensowski, Ingeborg, 'The Body as a Stage', in: Kulturspiegel, Berlin no. 7, July 2004, p. 28, ill.
Eichler, Dominic, 'A different drum', in: Frieze, London, no. 84, June / July / August 2004, pp. 114-115, ill.
Rutishauser, Monika, 'Hauser & Wirth: David Zinc Yi', in: Kunstmine, Stuttgart, no. 2, May-June-July 2004, p. 356
___, 'Casa Ciriza', in: Kunstforum International, Ruppichterroth, no. 171, July-August 2004, pp. 258-275, ill.
in: Domus, Milan, no. 872, July-August 2004, p. 145, ill.
Allen, Jennifer, 'David Zink Yi. Johann König, in: Artforum, New York, vol. XLII , no. 1, September 2003, pp. 236-237, ill.
___, 'Frankfurter Kunstverein:' Nation '(14.5.-3.8.03)', on: www.art-in.de/inckv2.php?id=416, 5 August 2003
___, 'David Zink Yi. University of the Arts, Berlin ', in: Artreview, London, July / August 2003, ill.
Gallery Exhibitions
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