"Carry On" by Yiwei Presents: Installation Project at San Francisco Art Fair with Mary Lai

  • Artist Statement:

    Blending experiences, memories and imagination, I create artworks that relate to identity and the world that surrounds me. These vibrant mixed media artworks full of texture creates a moving meditation with bold hues that draws the viewer closer to strike a conversation. The narrative in the artworks starts with dreams and can shape shift from reality to a dream state taking the viewer on a journey. The artworks aim to uplift and evoke emotions leaving a lasting memory.

  • Bio: Mary Lai is a multifaceted Korean-American artist based in Los Angeles, California. She infuses her vibrant contemporary works with... Bio: Mary Lai is a multifaceted Korean-American artist based in Los Angeles, California. She infuses her vibrant contemporary works with...

    Bio:

    Mary Lai is a multifaceted Korean-American artist based in Los Angeles, California. She infuses her vibrant contemporary works with a dreamer’s vision, aiming to uplift and evoke emotion. With over 20 years of experience in art and
    design, Lai is known for her dynamic compositions, rich use of color, signature texture, and evocative narratives. Her diverse work spans paintings, mixed media art, illustrations, large-scale murals, and sculptures. She blends her experiences, memories and imagination to create art relating to identity through symbols,
    storytelling and reoccurring motifs. Lai’s artistic journey began with a B.F.A. in Graphic Design at Mason Gross

    School of the Arts and a decade-long career in New York City as an award-winning fashion accessories designer. Her artworks have been shown at art fairs, galleries and publications with a noteworthy list of art collectors. She has collaborated with several prominent brands including W Hotel, HBO Max,American Express and more. In early 2025, Lai founded Allied Special Projects, an artist-led platform that works on project-based collaborations to create more opportunities for artists. With a commitment to creating and curating art with impact, Lai continues to explore and push the boundaries of her artistic expression.

  •  Mary Lai, Carry On, 2026.

    Leather and woodVariable dimensions ,Presented by Yiwei Presents, Booth C07.

    The Carry On sculptures are made of layers of leather and wood. Each layer is stitched and edge painted like a handbag strap, creating a prolonged arched shape. They resemble long portals, rainbows, or some kind of plant life.  Individually they can stand alone but grouped together they parallel a forest ranging in height from 2 ft to 6ft tall. The soft/hard sculptures are simultaneously masculine and feminine. Leather straps are used as the medium to question the baggage one carries in life and how these Carry On sculptures are free from it.