Artists make the world go round, and never cease to amaze us with their talent, tenacity, and tendency to know the future trends before we do. Class of The Future is a series of interviews with eight absolutely astronomical talents from Sydney, who are the up-and-comers ready to change the game.
The first artist showcase is Nancy (Ganzhixin Li), a young animator who graduated from a Bachelor of Design and Animation from the University of Technology Sydney.
“I want everyone to, ideally, be nicer to each other, be more open-minded and make more friends. It’s what makes the world a better place,” says Li at the close of our interview. This kind of absolutely infectious and sparkling positivity is rare to find, but she has it in spades.
Having had a helping hand on the latest music video for Matt Corby and Tash Sultana’s ‘Talk It Out’, Nancy has a keen eye for the colourful, and her artwork showcases just that.
Animation for Li started on a whim when she joined her university course after seeing a UAC book on Animations courses, and thinking it looked pretty cool. Now she’s advancing the flag for all animators growing up in Sydney, proving that there is so much more room for invention, creativity, and spark.
And Nancy brings it all. For the Class of the Future series, she has created a VR artwork. Yes, you read that right, an artwork that uses QR Codes to bring a still image to life right before your eyes. If you don’t believe me, have a try for yourself, and witness what Li has created for your enjoyment.
To see Nancy’s artwork come to life, you’ll have to download the app EyeJack, which scans the QR Code to present the animations created by Nancy herself.
Once you’ve downloaded the app, be sure to sign in with your Google account, and then you’re all good to go!
Technology meets art and we cannot get enough. For those of who you downloaded the app, I’m sure you’re just as amazed as I am every time I watch the animation.
I sat down with Nancy for a casual conversation on her inspirations, the terrors of Instagram, and the impetus behind her incredible art, so that hopefully the world can get to know one of its future artists just a little bit better.
Interview with Nancy (Ganzhixin) Li:
When you create, what is your driving influence?
I guess I just make stuff that’s like, you know when you see other peoples work and you just know inside that you like it? Well if I can get a really satisfying feeling after I look at it, or if it has a good message, then I’ll be happy with it. It’s an emotional thing really.
So do you find it difficult being vulnerable with your artworks?
Well, they aren’t really about me most of the time but more about what I like. I haven’t really made artworks about myself, which is definitely more vulnerable, but putting things on Instagram is definitely stressful.
Oh definitely, especially for an artist I can only imagine. How do you find that whole experience?
It’s really fun, and definitely a great thing, but I really think we need to be more careful in dealing with the pressure that comes from it. I know that recently in Australia we don’t show likes, which is great, but I still feel pressure from it.
Could you tell me a little bit more about your art?
I never really had a discipline of it all until I went to Uni, where I instantly met a lot of friends and like-minded people. Then I felt like more of an artist, because I was surrounding by so many other amazing artists. If you can talk about art with other people, you discover more art and start to enjoy the process of making it so much more.
So is there anyone who inspires you to create?
*gestures towards the other artists in the room.* They’re very inspiring to me. And also the Sydney locals and the Melbourne animation industry people.
The Class of the Future, Sydney’s rising artists you need to keep an eye on.
Top Row left to right: Erin Sutherland, Sara Hirner, Jimmy Nevell, Nancy Li.
Bot Row left to right: Olivia Serrao, Rosemary Vasquez Brown, Connor Xia.
(*missing from group photo: Anne-Simone El Sokkary)
