Yolanda Wei’s BFA thesis exhibition, Extravagant Demise, was originally scheduled from April 6–10 in the Oliver Art Center on CCA’s Oakland campus. Due to the Bay Area’s COVID-19 shelter-in-place order, we are sharing work by Yolanda and other graduating students on CCA’s website and social media channels. 

Artwork by Yolanda Wei will be featured on CCA's official social media channels, including Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn, starting April 24 at 9am PDT. 

ARTIST STATEMENT

My work shows examples of animal endangerment. From a distance, they are beautiful normal scenes. Yet, upon closer look they become horrifying, depicting heinous acts of animal brutality. This becomes a metaphor our lack of knowledge on the exploitation inherent to parts of the jewelry industry. This show highlights three specious the Kingfisher, Hawksbill Turtle and the Helmeted Hornbill, which are currently included in IUCN endangered species list. These pieces are a first step in raising awareness, in the hopes that others will choose to stop participating in these industries.

BIO

Yolanda Wei is a metal artist, born in 1995 in Northern China. Graduated from California College of Arts. Yolanda uses metal and resin to make very detailed jewelry and small sculptures. Yolanda is good at making works and telling stories using natural and animal forms. Now, most of the works are about some endangered animals related to jewelry.

Above: Yolanda Wei, Sadness Under Tranquility, 2020. Copper, silver, bronze, goose feathers, 6 x 6 x 10 inches.

To view more work by Yolanda Wei, visit www.yolandawei.store or follow @yolanda.weiiii on Instagram.