Hong Yi, also known by her nickname, ‘Red’, is an artist known for creating pieces using everyday, unconventional materials. Red has been featured in publications including Wall Street Journal, TIME, Fast Company and Huffington Post. See how she transforms ordinary Flower Petals into incredible works of art.

Flower petals art is just the start

After graduating with Master in Architecture from the University of Melbourne, Red moved to Shanghai for a career in architecture. She fell in love with the city’s chaotic charm, once home to her father and grandparents. Inspired by her surroundings and the range of affordable materials available from wholesale markets, it was here Red completed her first unconventional work, a portrait of Chinese contemporary artist Ai Weiwei made entirely out of sunflower seeds. A wave of innovative artworks ensued, including a portrait of Adele using 1500 melted tea lights, Aung San Suu Kyi with dyed carnations, a hanging structure of Jackie Chan using chopsticks. The use of materials in bulk in her project alludes to the globalization and mass production in China and Asia.

You might have seen Red’s work before. She received a lot of attention for a similar project involving food. Almost every day for 30 days, Yong Yi created a fun illustration made with common food (Discovered via Colossal).