Winners' Exhibition 2024–25
GOLD

Gold Award, Global Arts Challenge 2024–25

Siyu C.

Phenomenal Woman

Theme
Social Justice & Equality
Specialism
Fine Art (installation and sculpture)
Phenomenal Woman, 2025, details. Iron wire, balloon, rubber sheet, clay, rice paper, gel wax and construction foam, 60 × 60 × 130 cm.
Phenomenal Woman, 2025, details. Iron wire, balloon, rubber sheet, clay, rice paper, gel wax and construction foam, 60 × 60 × 130 cm.

Artist's statement

Our bodies are never truly our own; they are often “owned” and judged by others. These perceptions of how we should act are shaped by and, in turn, shape cultural constraints, especially gendered ones. However, as Judith Butler argues, gender is not a fixed role. It is what we choose to become. So, what truly influences how we choose our own actions? Reflecting on the power relations that contribute to these constraints, survival and healthcare emerge as central issues.

A red, tumor-like substance emerges, one bends down, trying to glimpse the internal structure of the body. This interactive art installation aims to provoke the audience’s reflection on the relationship between the female body, self-awareness, and societal expectations. Through both visual and tactile experiences, the work explores the dynamic between these elements, while also aiming to raise awareness of gynecological health and promote the importance of sexual education.

This work was selected for a Gold Award by a judging panel of faculty from the Royal College of Art, Central Saint Martins, Parsons, Yale and RISD.

Meet the judges