Artist John Yuyi On Skewering the Post-Internet Economy

At age 23, Taiwanese artist John Yuyi went viral for the first of what would be many times. Then, it was for her dreamy swimsuit collection, Clay Project, released in 2014. By age 27, the young artist transitioned her bold fashion aesthetic into striking and playful photography that all but conquered the internet. Her work went viral again, landing her a collaboration with Gucci, a spot on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list in 2018 and her first solo exhibition. Now, at 32, the New York-based artist is adding another buzzy project to her decorated career: a collaboration with Skateroom, an arts organization that combines skate culture and art history to champion social justice.

The recently released collaborative collection, which turns skate decks into canvases featuring Yuyi’s sleek and glossy photos, falls in neatly with the organization’s previous collabs featuring the work of Jeff Koons, Yoshitomo Nara, Andy Warhol and other acclaimed artists. Teetering between provocative advertisements, fashion editorials and unique portraiture, the decks delve into consumerism and identity in the post-internet age—themes that have underscored her work since her former fashion days.