Ephemeral I am, at first glance, completely fragile. Like powdered sugar. However, it has a mysterious power and makes us think deeply about the limits of form. Yujie Yang captures the moment when time seems to stand still in a splash. Glass is both fragile and durable. This tension is fascinating. In a single frosty sculpture, she displays movement brought to life by careful craftsmanship. You can feel the fluidity remaining just below the surface. Lean closer. Icicle-like ridges shimmer under the light, reflecting a whole world of paradoxical energy. It’s a moment when you feel like life is breathing even though you’re frozen in space.
At the heart of Ephemeral I is the idea that vulnerability doesn’t have to be a flaw. Sometimes we talk about hidden resilience. The crystalline tendrils appear to be dancing against gravity, as if refusing to accept their own limitations. In this way, Yujie’s vision becomes a metaphor for our common desire to transcend boundaries and fly free from earthly constraints. This work glows with a gentle, otherworldly aura, reminiscent of an early morning frost kissed by dawn. Translucency plays an important role. As light penetrates each elongated structure, kaleidoscopic shadows appear on adjacent surfaces, hinting at the endless possibilities of glass. Interestingly, the base of the sculpture feels heavier, anchoring this light spectacle. The interplay of weight and weightlessness makes the viewer question whether we, too, can find calm in our most delicate moments. It’s a fascinating conversation between matter, imagination, and the human spirit, a quiet yet compelling triumph.
Central to Yujie’s artistic practice is the concept that glass appears unchanging once cooled, but never truly loses its ability to transform. She reminds us that given enough heat, this material can always return to a liquid state, ready to be shaped again. In this sense, Ephemeral I symbolizes the unstoppable nature of change. Like a breath on a frosty windowpane, it flits between states, at once solid and ever-changing. Light filters through its surface, revealing minute inconsistencies and delicate bubbles, whispering the molten dance from which it was born. This quiet backstory imbues this work with a sense of living history. You can almost hear the crackling and hissing of this work. Or you can feel the passion of the lamp crafting techniques that gave birth to this work. For Yujie, his improvisational approach, without sketches or rigid plans, is a key element that echoes the spontaneous rhythms found throughout nature itself. Nothing is forced. Everything flows. That creative freedom brings every curve and contour to life, making every droplet-like protrusion feel completely organic. The tension of the moment captured by Glass feels as if all the bubbles are about to start moving. Transience finds refuge here and refuses to be tamed.
More than just technology, Ephemeral I evokes a more resonant cultural resonance. Yujie refers to the Chinese concept of “transience”, symbolized by the ephemeral flower of the cereus, which often blooms at night. Like an elusive flower, this sculpture celebrates its own impermanence, reminding us that all beauty is bound by time. But this recognition of ephemerality does not diminish the work’s power. Instead, it imbues the piece with a sense of urgency, inviting the viewer to savor every glimmer of light, every outline of ice, before drifting away into memory. In a world so obsessed with preservation that even cave paintings were once consigned to oblivion, Huzier’s glass works stand as shining proof of the futility and splendor of preserving moments. Here, the medium itself becomes a metaphor for human longing, shimmering with the tension between presence and absence. In each vine, we can glimpse the fragility of the passage of time. In each reflection we see ourselves. That’s the quiet truth of her work. Such an emotional pull brings us even closer, almost daring us to touch what may crumble beneath our fingertips or remain forever as a crystalline memory. Floating on the brink, this work captivates with its eerie ephemerality, yet stands defiantly as living proof.
For those familiar with Yujie’s 2D animation and illustration background, “Ephemeral I” may seem like a bold detour. Yet the underlying threads remain: story, movement, and a keen sense of wonder. Glass serves as her stage, and Wright serves as the lead performer. Through each transparent glow, she evokes a vivid story that transcends simple shapes. We observe tangible memories, formed by heat yet alive with fluid potential. When we look at the fleeting me, we are also participating in that ongoing story.
Source: Our Culture – ourculturemag.com
