KEIRA MCCARTHY

“CY-CANDY”

Female Bodies and Cyborg Theory
in the Works of Fan Xiaoyan and Lee Bul

Introduction

Part I: The Gendered Cyborg

Part II: Fan Xiaoyan

Part III: Lee Bul

Conclusion

KEIRA MCCARTHY

“CY-CANDY”

Female Bodies and Cyborg Theory in the Works of Fan Xiaoyan and Lee Bul

KEIRA MCCARTHY

“CY-CANDY”

Female Bodies and Cyborg Theory
in the Works of Fan Xiaoyan and Lee Bul

Introduction

Part I: The Gendered Cyborg

Part II: Fan Xiaoyan

Part III: Lee Bul

Conclusion

“‘Cy-Candy’: Female Bodies and Cyborg Theory in the Works of Fan Xiaoyan and Lee Bul” is the culmination of a year of research on the cyborg sculptures of artists Fan Xiaoyan and Lee Bul.

Master’s Capstone Project submitted to the Faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences of American University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Masters of Arts in Art History. Chair: Dr. Ying-chen Peng; Reader: Dr. Andrew Wasserman. 2022, American University, Washington DC.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I would first like to express my thanks and appreciation to my advisor, Dr. Ying-chen Peng, whose support, critique, and insight were instrumental to this project. I am deeply grateful to Dr. Peng for encouraging me to pursue this unexpected topic, and helping me throughout the process. I would also like to thank Dr. Andrew Wasserman, my second reader, for pushing me to refine my argument and consider alternative perspectives.

This capstone could not have been possible without the support and friendship of my cohort peers, who brought light and joy during a difficult time in my life. The community I have found with them is one I will always cherish.

Finally, I thank my family and friends, whose love, support, and advice have gotten me through these past few years. To my parents and siblings, who constantly supported me throughout this process. To Amy, Kyle, and Evan, my housemates and friends, who always listened to my incoherent ramblings about cyborgs and celebrated my accomplishments. Lastly, to Ben, who was always there to help me flesh out my ideas and who came up with the title for this project. You all mean so much to me, and I could not have done any of this without you.

HOW TO CITE THIS PROJECT

Keira McCarthy, “‘Cy-Candy’: Female Bodies and Cyborg Theory in the Works of Fan Xiaoyan and Lee Bul,” Master’s Capstone Project, American University, 2022, https://edspace.american.edu/cy-candy.

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