Zitian Li

SAIC SHOWS 2025 GRADUATE EXHIBITIONS

Graduates

SAIC SHOWS 2025 GRADUATE EXHIBITIONS

Master of Fine Arts in Studio, Art and Technology Studies

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Zitian Li (b. 1997, Beijing, China) is an interdisciplinary digital media artist specializing in Art and Technology Studies. Her practice focuses on interactive installations and creative coding, often drawing from personal experiences to explore themes of the internet, media information, and human relationships.

She earned her BFA in Digital Media Arts from the Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA), China, in 2022. In 2024, her work LINKING was featured in the exhibition Prismatic (re)ality at Zhou B Art Center, Chicago.

LINKING, 2024, Arduino UNO microcontroller, LCD display, red electrical wire, neon rope light, dimensions variable, photo by Zitian Li

LINKING expresses the complex relationship between people on the Internet in the information age, and reﬂections on the impact of the Internet for modern humans. Inspired by the red thread of Yue Lao(月老), the god of love in traditional Chinese mythology. “Red thread” in this work symbolizes the relationship between people established by destiny and fate. The artist visualizes the invisible “red thread” as red wires, which are connected to several Arduino-controlled display screens, constantly scrolling the text conversations that Internet users send and receive in the network. Different emotions and contents are connected to the exhibition space with the red wires, intertwined and entangled with each other.

Gaze, 2025, interactive projection, dimensions variable

Gaze explores the impact of silent violence and non-physical bullying through the power of the human gaze. In such forms of bullying, the eyes of the aggressor—whether filled with contempt, indifference, or anger—often become a source of deep emotional trauma for the victim. This phenomenon can occur anywhere: in schools, workplaces, and even intimate relationships. As viewers enter the exhibition space, all projected figures, initially looking in different directions, turn their heads simultaneously to stare directly at them. The gaze remains fixed until the viewer leaves the area. Through this work, the artist wants to immerse the audience in the unsettling experience of being scrutinized, encouraging awareness of the harm caused by non-physical bullying and emotional abuse.

ILLUSION, 2024, video game

ILLUSION is an interactive narrative game that delves into the inner world of individuals living with mental illness, exploring their daily struggles with medication and its side effects. Players assume the role of a patient with mental illness, experiencing daily life, episodes of illness, and the effects of medication from a first-person perspective. Through this work, the artist hopes to promote awareness of mental illness and encourage greater understanding and support for those affected.

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