ROSIE DING
Femininity and Self
Identity remains a core subject of investigation in my work, and as a woman whose strenuous battle to reconcile with the hardships and injustice associated with this facet of my identity, femininity therefore takes on an ambivalent presence in my work. Beauty, strength, pain, and intrusion concur simultaneously. I take pride, and I hold discontents. Gratitude and grudge take turns to reign. In the end, the contradictions and controversies culminate to form the three works presented here.
Riot
Carbon fiber, glass, hot glue, wire, denim, acrylic paint
48” x 16” x 10”
2022
The inner battles between mind and body often remain buried beneath the surface of the polished exterior we strive to maintain. This piece seeks to unearth the struggles we instinctively choose to conceal. Inspired by the excruciating menstrual pain I endure each month, Riot challenges the societal taboo surrounding this experience. Shame and discomfort often silence discussions of menstruation, so I manifest this pain through my art instead. Bloodshed is only a part of existence. By creating a visually jarring and unsettling sculpture, I compel the audience to confront and empathize with the reality of this deeply personal yet universal pain.
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The hot glue strings, painted red, mimic the texture of human flesh. Paired with the cut-open torso, they evoke a visceral sense of physical agony, further amplified by the sharpness of broken glass fragments.
This sculpture is built from a mix of materials. The torso—a mannequin made of carbon fiber—was salvaged from discarded items left by another artist. Using power tools, I cut an almond-shaped hole into its center, creating a hollow space that breaks the barrier between exterior and interior, inviting viewers to peer inside. Up close, the reflective surfaces offer fragmented glimpses of the viewer, urging self-examination and reevaluation.
The glaring red torso, sliced open and filled with sharp objects, confronts the audience with an unsettling subject: menstruation. Through this piece, I continue my exploration of the tension between internal and external, and the power of form and imagery to provoke discomfort and reflection.
"A silent riot from within. A riot against society."
Her
Cotton, papier-mache, metal
28” x 21” x 15”
2022
She is soft. She is tough. She cuts into her self. She lashes and thrashes against the world.
In Her, the soft cotton exterior collides with the sharpness of metal spikes erupting from within—a visceral juxtaposition that reverberates throughout the series. This tension between textures—and the forms themselves—crafts a visual language that binds the collection into a singular, cohesive narrative.
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Light transforms the sculpture entirely—natural sunlight streaming from behind ignites the translucent layers of cotton and papier-mâché, creating an otherworldly glow. This interplay shifts dramatically under artificial light, where the effect becomes restrained, almost clinical. Bathed in sunlight, the interior reveals itself as womb-like—a space that amplifies the sculpture’s ties to femininity and the raw, elemental essence of existence.
Forbidden
Ceramics
26” x 14” x 10”
2022
In ceramic form, Forbidden continues my exploration of the body as both vessel and metaphor, delving into the tension between fragility and resilience. The delicate torso, pierced by sharp spikes, becomes a visual dialogue between vulnerability and strength—an intimate confrontation with the internal struggles we often conceal.
The hollow space within invites viewers to examine these hidden emotional landscapes, rendering the unseen visible. This interplay of sharp and soft, interior and exterior, creates a visceral contrast that speaks to the complexity of female identity.
This piece is the culmination of a trilogy that embodies survival and transcendence—a testament to the tenacity of the feminine spirit in navigating pain and rising above it. Through this piece, I aim to challenge perceptions of strength, vulnerability, and the spaces they inhabit within us.
