Joy LI
Joy LI was born in 1999 in Gansu, China. She obtained her BFA degree in Interdisciplinary Sculpture with a Theater minor at Maryland Institute College of Art in 2021. She will be receiving an MFA in Sculpture from the Yale School of Art in 2026. She currently lives and works in Shenzhen, China and Baltimore, USA. Her works include sculpture, performance art, theater, video, and music, exploring the tension of interactions between objects, emotions, and relationships. In her works, she reshapes the body and space to open up a new possibility for existing materials and environments, allowing participants to re-experience, interact and see in an unfamiliar way.
She is also the co-founder of Cliff Banquet, a project-based artist collective producing interdisciplinary performances biannually. Combining the structure of traditional theater with the essence of performance art, CF explores the relationships and boundaries between different individuals, as well as the relationship between individuals and collectives in society. Their successful productions, Collective Dreaming and Burning Stone, have been exhibited internationally, including shows at BBOX, Baltimore, The Parlor, Baltimore, Tree Art Museum, Beijing, and Guardian Art Center, Beijing.
2026 Yale School of Art, New Haven, CT Master of Fine Arts, Sculpture
2021 Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, MD Bachelor of Fine Arts, Interdisciplinary Sculpture
Solo Exhibition
2024 Gas Station X, Vanguard Gallery, Shanghai
2023 Green Water, LINSEED, Shanghai 2022 Salomé, 33ml OFFSPACE, Shanghai
2019 The Skin of a Human Being, Gateway Gallery 1, Baltimore, MD
Group Exhibition
2024 Porsche “Young Chinese Artist of the Year” Nominees’ Exhibition, Shanghai Exhibition Center, Shanghai
2024 Torsos in Rain: Post Hit-and-Run, New Uncanny Gallery, New York, NY
2024 Four Winds: a Different Perspective on Southern Art, Guangdong Contemporary Art Center, Guangzhou
2024 Open the Door, Gallery func, Shanghai
2024 At the beginning, you find nothing there, PETITREE, Shenzhen
2024 Embodies Rituals, Guangdong Times Museum, Guangzhou
2024 After Human: Marks of the Beasts, Tomorrow Maybe, Hong Kong
2024 The Nostalgic Collection, Tree Art Museum, Beijing
2023 moments that home came into establishment, Third Street Gallery, Shanghai
2023 Tie Up, Mugyewon, LINSEED, Seoul
2022 LAB 2: Co-Working Space, LIU HAISU Art Museum, Shanghai
2021 Art Nova 100, Guardian Art Center, Beijing
2021 A Hunger Artist, Élysée, Shanghai
2021 Rabbit Hole, Arkila Art Center, Shanghai
2021 The Crowd, Jin Chen Yi Fei Ming Art Gallery, Shanghai
2021 The Tell-Tale Heart, HEREON, Shanghai
2021 Absence/Attendance, Himalayas Museum, Shanghai
2021 Without Moi in Future – The Second Flash Biennale Invitation Initiative, Nine Art Museum, Beijing
2021 DOUBLE INTERVAL, Brook Books, Huangshan Remedy, 1862 Art Center, Shanghai
2021 Communication Strategies: From Checkers to complex systems, Time Art Museum, Chengdu
2021 Redirecting, Tree Art Museum, Beijing
2020 POP-UP Reading Room, OWSPACE, Hangzhou
2019 Identity:Smashing Labels, Main 0 Gallery, Baltimore, MD
2019 Humanscape, Fox Building, Baltimore, MD
2019 Coordinates, Piano Gallery, Baltimore, MD
2019 Our Words Will Still Be Heard, MICA PLACE, Baltimore, MD
2018 Draw itOUT!, Meyerhoff Gallery, Baltimore, MD
2018 Chinese Young Artists, Brown Center, Baltimore, MD
2024 Porsche “Young Chinese Artist of the Year” Award – Nominee
2024 Skowhegan School of Painting & Sculpture, Madison, ME
2023 10th XINHUO Performance Art Festival + Residency, Chongqing and Chengdu
2021 Guerrilla War NO.5, Pararailing, Shanghai
2019 Micro-Grant, Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, MD
2019 Distinguished International Student Award, Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, MD
2018 Foundation Departmental Recognition Award, Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, MD
2017 Internl Award of Excellence, Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, MD
2017 Academic Honors Scholarship, Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, MD
2017 C. V. Starr Scholarship, Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, MD
2017 Thalheimer Scholarship, Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, MD
