YiMiao Shih: Pocket Fever

 

YiMiao’s interest in finding a place of belonging and how one would find a way of accessing, affording and owning a home prompted her last residency project, ‘Surface Value’ in summer 2024. Continuing the inquiry with a touch of curiosity and playfulness, she finds comfort in pairing the ideas with the inspiration brought by vintage toyline Polly Pocket. She sees the object offers a childhood joy of owning a place in your pocket, having a solid grip on a fantastical side of reality. 

 

With the show invitation from Wilton Way Gallery, its particular gallery interiors informed the ideas further. The roomy basement gallery space amplifies the ‘pocket size’ living style - YiMiao’s observation on the peculiar living spaces and rooms in London - and the solo show title ‘Pocket Fever’ emerged afterwards.

 

A series of flattened pieces (or silhouettes) of furniture are made to find all walls of its new residence. YiMiao wants to unpack what constitutes the concept of home, and wonders why only when we start to put furniture in situ, that we transform a space to home. Like the Polly Pockets, these smaller than life size, portable and collectable domestic items reimagine the physicality of a fractional ownership. 

 

The stitched images contained within the cut and engraved plywood panels are in association with the thoughts of the functionality, inside and outside, sense of belonging and privacy. It connects the objects and the aspirations it brings within. Different domestic items are gathering in the same gallery basement room regardless of the boundaries between kitchen, bathroom, bedroom or living room. It entertains the ideas of inhabiting a pocket size dwelling in the city. 

 

This body of work cares for whimsy and draws the dearness out of the subject matter with the keenness of enjoying one’s reality. 

​

Preview on Thursday 19th June 6-8.30pm and show continues until 10 August 2025.

​

Wilton Way Gallery

61 Wilton Way, London E8 1BG

​

Gallery opens by appointment:

info@wiltonwaygallery.com