Jiatong Yuan
Born 1994, China
Lives and works in London, UK
Jiatong Yuan’s work draws inspiration from microbiology, sound, and long walks, underscoring her interest in more-than-human perspectives and ecological forms through attentive material engagement. As an artist, she strives to engage with materials carefully and respectfully, connecting this approach to her broader artistic concerns. Jiatong’s process typically begins by soaking the canvas with water-based medium to establish a fluid ground, setting the stage for her layered painting. She then builds up layers with slow-drying oil paint, allowing the work to unfold through varying speeds, rhythms, and durations. Her brushstrokes move between control and contingency, generating, resisting, and reshaping forms. Fine, delicate marks are often juxtaposed with thicker, more forceful ones, emphasizing the materiality of paint. Her practice is also influenced by classical Chinese painting, particularly its emphasis on stillness, calligraphic brushwork, and wrist movement. Through her work, Jiatong aims to create intimate, nuanced perceptual spaces that invite viewers to engage closely and resonate emotionally with subtle shifts in perception. Yuan is a recipient of the Basil H. Alkazzi Scholarship Award.
EDUCATION
2026 MA Painting, Royal College of Art, London, UK
2024 MA Art and Ecology, Goldsmiths, University of London, UK
2016 BA Photography, Lu Xun Academy of Fine Arts, China
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
2026 'London Writes Itself,' LBF Contemporary, London, UK (Group)
2026 'RCA Painting Degree Show,' London, UK (Group)
2026 'Soft Witness: 50 Stories of Us,' Roha Gallery, London, UK (Group)
2026 'Irritation and Flow,' Curated by Kira Streletzki, Berlin, Germany (Solo)
2026 'The Drunken Boat,' Haricot Gallery, London, UK (Group)
2026 'She Is a Tree,' Small Gallery, London, UK (Group)
2025 'Daphne's Daughters,' Trio Show, Mey Gallery, Los Angeles, US (Group)
2025 MYO Kings Cross, Hurst Contemporary & A Space For Art, London, UK (Group)
2024 'In Days of Heatwave II: Among the Hydrocommons,' Safehouse 2, London, UK (Group)
2024 'Symbiont: Collective Threads of Ecological Study,' HYPHA Studios, London, UK (Group)
2024 'I Am Rooted, but I Flow,' Mey Gallery, Los Angeles, US (Group)
2024 Goldsmiths Art and Ecology Degree Show, Richard Hoggart Building, London, UK (Group)
2014–2015 'Annual College Outstanding Works,' Lu Xun Academy of Fine Arts Museum, China (Group)