YVONNE E. ZHANG

is a director and writer based in London.

About
Reel
Work



POWER OF CUTE (2023)
Somerset House

A video essay unpacking the lure and sinister nature of cuteness.

What power does cute hold in today’s world? Its pervasive, adorably sweet facade dominates our online media and social landscape, yet its proximity to capitalist systems leave us suspicious and uncomfortable. This film unpacks the concept of cuteness in contemporary culture through interviews with seven exhibition contributors whose work and lives interact with cute’s extraordinary and complex power dynamic. Together, they consider how cuteness seeks to enhance, disrupt, and re-imagine the world we live in today.


Featuring:
Ed Fornieles, Ram Han, Rachel Maclean, Hattie Stewar, Alake Shilling, Chris Zhongtian Yuan, Amy-Louise Allen

Directed, Filmed & Edited by:
Yvonne Zhang

Producer:
Helena Geilinger

Executive Producer:
Eleanor Ritter-Scott

Graphics:
Lizzie Watts

Supported by the Rothschild Foundation

Cute: An Exhibition Exploring the Irresistible Force of Cuteness in Contemporary Culture, at Somerset House, 25 Jan - 14 Apr 2024.

Principal Partner: Sanrio