Artist Lu Yiying: A Creative Journey Across Cultures

Lu Yiying is a creative artist whose works blend the essence of diverse cultures. Born in Shanghai, she was educated in Sydney and London, eventually finding her creative space in San Francisco. Lu Yiying's artistic career is closely tied to the rise of Silicon Valley, and she gained fame for creating the renowned "Failing Whale" illustration.

This artwork was originally titled "Lifting a Dreamer" and depicts a scene where a white whale is being lifted by eight orange birds using ropes. It symbolizes the emotional connection between people and the longing for close loved ones. Early users resonated strongly with this piece, leading to its rapid rise in popularity.

In 2016, Lu Yiying discovered that there were no dumpling emojis available while discussing dinner plans with friends. This prompted her to advocate for the addition of new food emojis. The following year, she designed five popular emojis: dumpling 🥟, bubble tea 🧋, chopsticks 🥢, takeout box 🥡, and fortune cookie 🥠. In 2018, she also designed the peacock emoji 🦚.

When NFTs surged in popularity in 2021, Lu Yiying actively participated. She released limited edition and 1/1 NFT works on multiple platforms. Notably, she donated the proceeds from the "Whale of a Time" series to marine conservation organizations.

After three years of accumulation, Lu Yiying is about to launch an exciting new NFT series. This work is part of an event that will delve into human experiences and emotions, and it may also pay homage to her iconic whale image.

In a deep conversation, Lu Yiying shared her creative journey, cultural influences, and her upcoming new work.

Lu Yiying believes that growing up in a culture where Chinese characters are the written language has had a profound impact on her artistic creation. She points out how the differences in language structures between the East and the West shape people's ways of thinking. For example, the structure of Latin languages such as English is more rigorous and linear, while Eastern languages like Chinese are more reliant on context.

This linguistic difference is also reflected in artistic expression. Lu Yiying believes that NFTs are like tokens that carry energy and symbolic meaning, conveying profound significance in the digital world. Although artificial intelligence is gradually entering the field of artistic creation, human artists are still indispensable because our lives are essentially about telling stories.

Speaking about her upcoming new work, Lu Yiying stated that she was inspired by her recent trip to New York. She hopes to create works that bring joy and emotional connection to the audience. She believes that colors and shapes have healing power and wishes for her art to be a remedy in people's lives.

Lu Yiying is particularly concerned about mental health issues. She believes that artists play an important role in guiding relevant conversations. She is determined to rebuild a sense of community belonging and comfort through her work.

Reflecting on her experience of winning the award for the "Twitter Fail Whale" 15 years ago, Lu Yiying expressed her continued hope that her art can elevate emotions and transform seemingly negative things into a positive and inspiring force. She is particularly interested in creating art that can influence people's emotional states.

Lu Yiying views whales as symbols of emotions and dreams, representing the experiences of immigrants and the vast wisdom of the ocean. She hopes to convey this universal sentiment that transcends cultures through her work.

As the new work is about to be released, we look forward to Lu Yiying continuing to use her unique artistic language to bring more heart-stirring works to the audience.