Making the Invisible Visible: Xiaoping Yu on Emotion, Memory, and the Body

Interview with Xiaoping Yu

1. Please tell us something about your background and your art journey so far.

I’m a visual artist based in Edinburgh, and I completed my MA in Contemporary Art Practice at the University of Edinburgh. I believe that art knows no boundaries, so I like to experiment with various media. I create sculptures, wall pieces, and installations using clay and resin. My art gives form to involuntary memories and emotions, revealing complexities that reflect existence, nature, history, and behavior. Each brushstroke becomes a trace of time and emotion, capturing the invisible connections between myself and the world. Living and studying abroad has deeply influenced my artistic journey. Experiencing different cultures made me more aware of identity, adaptation, and how emotions are shaped by our surroundings. My work often transforms personal feelings and memories into visual forms, exploring vulnerability, self-reflection, and the invisible ties between people and their environments.

2. Can you tell us more about the theme in your art and your inspiration?

The main theme in my work comes from how emotions and memories exist inside the body and how they shape the way we see the world. I’m often interested in what we can’t see, such as mental states, pain, or small feelings that people try to hide. Much of my work comes from personal experiences, such as adapting to new cultures, dealing with illness, or navigating identity as an international artist and woman. These experiences often become metaphors in my work, containers of emotion, fragments of memory, or organic forms that reflect both fragility and resilience. In Doors that Can’t Be Closed, I used mirrors and circular forms to connect dreams with reality. The work was inspired by a recurring dream about a door I couldn’t shut, which became a metaphor for fear and the things we can’t escape from. I like using materials such as resin, mirror, and textured surfaces because they feel alive; they can reflect both vulnerability and strength. Through my work, I try to make invisible emotions visible and invite people to reflect on their own inner worlds.

3. How does your art life impact other parts of your life?

My art and my life are deeply connected. They constantly influence each other. I often find inspiration in my own physical and emotional experiences, whether it’s a moment of stress, a sudden memory, or the quiet details of daily life. Living abroad has made me more aware of how the body responds to change and how emotions can be shaped by our surroundings. After experiencing illness during my first month in Edinburgh, I started to notice how physical pain and psychological tension can mirror each other. That experience changed the way I see my body. It not only as a vessel but also as a record of emotions and memories. It made me more sensitive to how fragility and resilience coexist in both art and life. This awareness continues to influence how I create and live. Art has become a way for me to process emotions, understand vulnerability, and connect with others through shared feelings of healing and reflection.

4. Your practice is developed around different mediums, a multidisciplinary approach. Tell us about your practice.

My practice is multidisciplinary, spanning new media installation, digital video, and graphic illustration. I’m interested in exploring how invisible emotions, memories, and social structures can be made visible through material experimentation. I often combine organic and synthetic materials, such as resin, clay, and mirrors, to create tactile, layered works that reflect on the human condition and the complex relationship between body, mind, and environment. My process is intuitive yet conceptually grounded. I draw inspiration from personal experiences, such as illness, cultural transition, and emotional healing, and translate them into visual metaphors that connect the personal with the collective. Working across different mediums allows me to express the same idea from multiple perspectives, challenging perception and encouraging viewers to engage with their own reflections, both literal and psychological. Ultimately, my multidisciplinary approach helps me build a dialogue between physical form and intangible feeling, creating immersive experiences that invite empathy, self-awareness, and critical reflection.

5. What are you working on at the moment and are there any upcoming events you would like to talk about?

Currently, I’m continuing to develop my recent projects Shock and Under My Skin, which both explore cultural displacement, belonging, and the relationship between mental and physical well-being. Drawing from my own experience as an international artist in the UK, I’m interested in how emotional vulnerability and psychological tension can be translated into material form. Through working with mirrors, resin, and organic textures, I aim to create immersive installations that encourage self-reflection and empathy. My current focus is on expanding these ideas into a larger body of work that connects individual emotions with collective experiences, exploring how the invisible, such as anxiety or cultural shock, can take visible shape. In the coming months, I plan to exhibit these works in a group show that continues my research into how art can open up conversations about identity, healing, and cross-cultural understanding.

Closing Reflection

Through my practice, I hope to contribute to a broader dialogue about emotional visibility, identity, and the shared experience of healing. For me, art is not just a form of expression, but a way to understand the unseen layers of being — the memories, sensations, and emotions that quietly shape who we are.

Website : https://xiaooart.com/

Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/xiaooart/