Meet Yu Mao

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Yu Mao. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Yu below.

Yu, we are so happy that our community is going to have a chance to learn more about you, your story and hopefully even take in some of the lessons you’ve learned along the way. Let’s start with self-care – what do you do for self-care and has it had any impact on your effectiveness?

Never overwork yourself. For me, self-care comes from being deeply attuned to both my physical and mental state. When I’ve been working too much for a while, I start to feel mentally drained — it shows up in my sleep and my mood. That’s my body’s way of warning me: I need a break.

When that happens, I slow down. I step away from work for a bit or take a short vacation. Those breaks are my way of recharging. And when I come back, I feel fully energized — ready to create and work at my best. It’s far more effective than pushing through endlessly.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I’m an artist and filmmaker, currently working on both art projects and film production. Earlier in my career, I worked as a production designer for short films and commercials, handling everything from concept design to set dressing. Some of those projects were fortunate enough to be nominated for — and even win — awards at international film festivals.

Alongside my film work, I also create artworks across different media, including performance video, ceramics, installation, and sound art. My pieces have been shown in exhibitions of various scales around the world.

These days, I’m transitioning into producing vertical dramas, taking on an overall management role — overseeing everything from script development and visual design to the finer details of production.

Outside of film and art, I’m also a Pilates instructor. It’s my way of finding a connection with my own body.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

I think, first of all, it’s about self-awareness. For example, knowing what I’m good at, what I’m not, and where I still need to grow. It’s also about understanding what kind of roles suit me best. This kind of clarity helps me plan my career, both in the short and long term.

Secondly, it’s about perseverance. Once I make a decision, I have to stick with it. Otherwise, an idea will always remain just that idea and never become reality.

And thirdly, empathy. This includes both visual empathy, which is the ability to connect emotionally with forms like space, color, and other artistic expressions, and emotional empathy, toward people and society. The first is essential for me as an artist; the second plays a crucial role in communication and collaboration in everyday work and life.

Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?

My family. They started cultivating good habits in me from a very young age — things like managing my own time and giving me the freedom to decide what I wanted to eat or wear each day. These might seem like small details, but they’ve had a huge impact on my life. Later on, in my studies and career, it was exactly these details that taught me how to focus deeply on something, balance multiple responsibilities, stay emotionally grounded, and make decisions no matter it’s big or small without fear.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.maoyustudio.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yummmmmao/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yu-mao-129a56204/

Image Credits

Yu Mao, Yifan Wang, Yiming Fang