Rong Bao’s Strange Inflatable Sculptures Take the Edge Off
The London-based artist discusses her practice and how she’s using playful “soft sculptures” to push back against a rigid world.
Rong Bao inflates the absurdities of contemporary life until they’re impossible to ignore. The London-based artist pokes holes in the facade of productivity through alien-esque installations and kinetic sculptures, creating playgrounds of sensory rebellion in the cracks of comfort.
Originally trained in painting and drawing, Bao didn’t break into sculpture until university. She studied Public Sculpture at the China Academy of Art, and the School at the Art Institute of Chicago later on. After her stateside stint, she took to London to pursue an MA at the Royal College of Art. A year after graduating, at just 28, the artist locked in her first solo at none other than Saatchi Gallery, making history as the first Chinese woman to hold a solo show at the institution.
Bao’s work rests in the borderlands between tenderness and humor, absurdity and empathy. She creates with a confident and careful command. Her “soft sculptures,” undoubtedly alive, help us playfully unsettle the routines we’ve grown numb to: overconsumption, hyper-efficiency and the incessant need for speed that haunt our everyday.
We caught up with Bao in her studio to learn more about her creative journey and soft power, sculpturally speaking.
Hypebeast
“The next sculpture will always be my favorite.”
How would you describe your practice?
I work with sculpture, space and the body to create sensory experiences that sit between playfulness and discomfort.
Where do you find inspiration?
Everyday systems, public space and unconsciously follow the rules embedded in today’s society
What’s the origin story behind your style?
I didn’t consciously choose a style — it slowly emerged through repetition, mistakes and listening to people’s reactions to my work.
Tell us the story behind your first sculpture.
The first sculpture I made was in college, back in 2016. We were learning about the human form, skeleton and muscles, so it was a traditional figure head made of clay.
“I’m interested in creating situations where people can feel first and think later.”
Do you have a favorite sculpture?
The next sculpture will always be my favorite.
What’s something that audiences would be surprised to know about you?
A lot of people might know of my recent work, which is colorful, minimal and kind of abstract and contemporary, but I was actually trained in very strict oil painting and drawing since I was really young.
Walk us through the process of a piece, from ideation to installation.
I normally start with sketches and digital models. I’ll test materials in small sizes, then find a fabricator to help me make it full-scale. Sometimes I can make works super quickly, while other projects can take over a year. It’s really case-by-case.
What’s the function of art?
I don’t think that art needs to explain itself fully. I’m interested in creating situations where people can feel first and think later.
Do you make art for yourself or for others?
Both. I normally start with a small spark for myself. But my work is only complete when it is experienced by the audience.
