In Pursuit of Resonance – Wearable Art Exhibition and Live Performance by Bei Qi
Get ready for an unforgettable evening of art, movement, and creativity at The Link Auditorium from 4 PM to 6 PM on Saturday, November 2nd, as we celebrate the opening of Bei Qi’s solo exhibition, In Pursuit of Resonance.
The event kicks off with a live fashion-dance showcase, where wearable art pieces come to life through an improvised performance by WashU dancers and performers. Afterward, explore Qi’s work upstairs in the Link Auditorium Gallery as dancers mingle with the audience, modeling her creations in a unique, interactive experience. Enjoy refreshments and browse tote bag merchandise for sale. This event is free and open to the public.
Five Bei Qi Collections on Display
The exhibition features five collections: Passionate Cycles, Human Revelations, Five Stages of Grief, Enneagram: Beings of Light, and Childhood Nostalgia. Through her work, Bei Qi, a senior pursuing a BFA in Studio Art at WashU, merges painting, fashion, and performance, blending real and imagined human forms to explore the complexities of connection and separation. Her garments reflect a deep investigation into human relationships and self-knowledge, often drawing on philosophical and psychological research.
Qi’s work has been shown in several notable contexts. In early 2024, she presented her Human Revelations collection in a solo exhibition at Wilson Hall in collaboration with the WashU Philosophy Department. Her Five Stages of Grief series was featured in Strike Magazine in 2023.
In 2022, Qi presented her Enneagram: Beings of Light pieces at Fashion Group International St. Louis’ Fashion Afterlife event, and later choreographed them into a performance for Genesis, a 2023 production by the WashU Dance Company. Her Childhood Nostalgia series was featured in the WashU Fashion Show in 2022.
Exploring the Concept of Resonance
Qi evokes emotional landscapes through her vibrantly colored, stylized human faces, figures, and forms, which intertwine with each other while seamlessly blending with evocative motifs, abstract shapes, patterns, and textures. These interactions convey themes of internal conflict, transformation, and unity, merging the human figure with symbolic realms to envelop each wearer in narratives that reflect both visceral responses and universal experiences. In doing so, the wearer becomes a living embodiment of the complexities of the human condition.
At the heart of the exhibition is the concept of resonance, explored both literally and metaphorically. Resonance refers to vibrations and echoes, much like how Qi’s pieces respond to the presence and movement of the wearer. Metaphorically, it reflects the alignment between one’s emotions, thoughts, and experiences.
A Unique and Immersive Experience
Through her wearable art, Qi creates multisensory worlds inhabited by hybrid creatures formed through the union of body and garment. These creatures communicate in surreal ways through photoshoots, collages, paintings, video works, and live performances, evoking overwhelming emotional experiences that resonate deeply with the viewer.
Her performances and videos, rich with visual and auditory stimuli, invite viewers to fully immerse themselves in the experience. Qi hopes that this emotional resonance will inspire personal reflection, encouraging viewers to explore their own connections—not only to the work but also to their inner selves and those around them.