Path to Surface, Symbol of Poppy Rain 抒音 [Shū Yīn]‘s Art Archive,
Reconstructed from “Poppy’s Ooriginal Arch Ratio”, 2017 - 2026

The symbol dustofsteel was drawn from my innate fascination with metal as earth elements and later discovered family lineage of working with steel; it is also to honor my 6 years’ experience working as a welder and metal finisher in New York City throuhgh which I finally came to better understand my art practice. The dust of metal was where I was reborn, where I realigned with my spirit, where I encountered the portal back to nature, and where I regained my voice as a creature of nature.

Poppy Rain 抒音 [Shū Yīn] It/They/She
“Me in my garden”
framed by dear friend and the most talented Mar Alfonso, 2025

This is Poppy Rain 抒音 [Shū Yīn]‘s Art Archive - dustofsteel.
In this space I document and foster conversations about
the message intended and unintended behind my artwork.

I am a Chinese queer inter-disciplinary artist, curious earth creature, and a diligent craftsman residing in Brooklyn, NY.
I explore a nature & respect centered bodily practice with strong interests in
the drawing of rhythm and structural paths in physical and spiritual spaces
that reflects my philosophy as an eco-feminist, pluralist, surrealist, luddite, and absurdist.

My medium, study, and language continue through realms of botany, pigment, paper, ceramics, metal, jewelry, photography, sound, movement, time, space-oriented installation, and teaching.

I believe it is an artist’s duty to challenge structure, boundary and possibility.
I believe it is an artist’s duty to ducument reasons, paths and methods behind appearance and formality.

In the past 6 years, my body and I went through extreme unpacking of physical and spiritual trauma, healing and reconstruction.
For a long time I was confused by my relationship with art.
Beginning of this year 2026, I had the urge to rebuild a virtual space for my thoughts to live again.
Archiving is going to take time. So for now, I am piling them all up in this one page.
Bare with me and celebrate with me.
I am happy to be dancing, making noises, loving and living again.

Blossoming through time, Digitial graphics layered over 4 x 5 transparency film, 2017 - 2026, Brooklyn, NY

Blind Fold, Experimentation of visual and sound texture with acting partner Sherry Liu, 2017, Brooklyn, NY

Untitled, Basement Improv with Aluminum Yaybahar Handmade by Dillon Mcnamara, 2018, Brooklyn, Footage documented by Dillon Mcnamara

Inside the closet, Painted silver photogrph printed on fiber paper, with acting partner Wang Fan, 2015, Vermont, NY

Me n Mom by a Motorcycle, Painting from phtograph, Pastel & Water based paint on Silk, 2015, Brooklyn, NY

With Lulu & Francis, 2013 Beijing Punk Fest, my forever Diders, 2013, Beijing
Between 2012-2014, we played more than 100 shows in Beijing, parts of China and later short tour to Japan and the Summer Sonic festival in Tokyo.
It was hard to know what you are doing in your early 20s but that was my best memory ever, to embody, to make noise, truly and full heartedly.

Theme park build on salt, Installation with metal and ceramic sculptures, silk painting, found nature & manmade objects, salt,
small arch in the centere made with help from Xiaolin Cheng & Dillon Mcnamara, 2017, Brooklyn, NY

Gap of the Universe & Friends, Installation of Garden & Path, Ceramics, Painting on silk, Painting on Linen, Film and Branch, 2016, Brooklyn, NY

Ceramics work after art school & pre Covid, Hand built vassels with intentional exploration of precision & surface treatment. 2019, Gasworks NYC, Brooklyn, NY