Virtual stratigraphy – Peirui Yang

The interdisciplinary artist and archaeologist Peirui Yang creates virtual and derived stratigraphies by manipulating digital imagery. Her research and artistic practice focuses on the concept of stratigraphy by extending the concept of archaeology, and thus establishing a research framework of archaeology and contemporary art, philosophy, and media theory.

As Peirui puts it:

“Archaeology has always been the subject of my creation, and different interpretations have formed through the extension and flow of its concepts. Through this theoretical framework, I created a virtual stratigraphy project, especially working through the concept of derivatives, and on a multi-dimensional reflection of the concept of material culture in archaeology. In traditional cognition, material culture is regarded as a basis and means of analyzing the past. However, in the current digital (electronic) age, or the "post-technological” age, material culture has undergone tremendous change, particularly because virtual matter is recognized as part of a substance’s ontology.

“I have tried to establish the concept of stratigraphy, combining materials, techniques, theories, and concepts as well as theoretical and practical research on the relationship between archaeology and contemporary art. It also proposes a methodology and theoretical framework for studying archaeology and contemporary art. In the traditional sense, stratigraphy is a research method and a tool for scientific research. However, there are always paradoxes, changes, conceptual transformations, and renewal in my work. Stratigraphy is a fascinating concept, as it represents the spatial matrix of our lives and of the entire past.

杨珮瑞Peirui Yang is an interdisciplinary artist and archaeologist. She currently lives in Spain. Her research is about archaeology and contemporary art, especially the connection between prehistoric art and contemporary art. As an archaeologist and artist, she is dedicated to exploring artistic creation and academic practice under multiple identities. Peirui’s master’s research was in archaeology and her doctoral research examined the connection between contemporary art and prehistoric art, such as the spiritual continuity of Iberian schematic art. Peirui also has an MA in contemporary art practice.

Contact: peirui.yang@edu.uah.es