Yan Jiaqing 严加青

Yan Shifu (“Master” in Chinese) is the Head Ebonist and Primary Technician of island6 Arts Center. His intense artistic vision springs from his home spirit of Jiangsu to produce the metal and wooden designs that frame the majority of Liu Dao’s installations. His expertise has been the essential force behind more than 1500 island6 artworks. He provides full time on-site contribution as a welder, but specializes in crafting frames in a vast array of styles and mediums, including aluminum, polystyrene, plastic, glass and Plexiglas.

Yan Shifu’s phsyical mind directs the artists of island6 in understanding the process behind the manufacture of their ideas. From experience, he corrects their mistakes and explains what’s possible, thereby ensuring Liu Dao’s productions remain original, entertaining, impressive and bulletproof.

No work of Liu Dao can be created without Yan’s experienced collaboration within the creative process. The equivalent in a cinematic production would be the set designer, lighting expert, and property master wrapped into one. When an artwork is imagined in island6, from the curatorial theme to the artist’s idea, Yan is behind the materialization that results in the concrete, physical production.