“My mission as an artist is to create possibilities of other worlds, and other ways of living and being, even if just for a moment.” —Anicka Yi 

Immerse yourself in the transcendent exhibition Anicka Yi.

Anicka Yi’s work dissolves boundaries between biology and technology, proposing new ways of thinking about perception, sentience, and survival. Her practice blends scientific research with philosophical inquiry and sensory experience, drawing from microbiology, artificial intelligence, perfumery, and Buddhist thought. Yi constructs immersive worlds that reimagine how life—and art—might evolve, mutate, and persist.

From animatronic sculptures that breathe and flicker like prehistoric lifeforms, to software designed to carry on her practice after death, Yi approaches technology as a creative partner. Anchoring this presentation are two complementary installations that address the concept of “Karmic Debt.”

Yi’s Radiolaria sculptures resemble giant living cells—suspended forms that seem to drift through the gallery, gently undulating as if pulled from the ocean’s depths. Light flickers across their fiber-optic surfaces, revealing a delicate interplay between handwoven structure and mechanical precision.

The video Each Branch Of Coral Holds Up The Light Of The Moon reanimates motifs from Yi’s earlier works into digital avatars. Set against a soundscape of gongs and chimes, the work invites you into a contemplative environment where past materials and ideas are recast into new, unpredictable forms.

Born in Seoul, South Korea, in 1971, Yi moved to the United States at a young age. Her practice springs from an interest in fashion, unorthodox materials, and social engagement combined with a conceptual inquiry into science, technology, and her Korean heritage.

Plan Your Visit

• This exhibition is located on Level 1 of the Law Building.
• Parking Information | Museum Hours | MFAH Campus Map

Explore the Art

• Learn more about the artist and the exhibition.

Anicka Yi / June 29–September 7, 2025