Meet Xinyu Liu

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Xinyu Liu. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Xinyu, so excited to have you with us today. So much we can chat about, but one of the questions we are most interested in is how you have managed to keep your creativity alive.

One of the most essential aspects of maintaining creativity, in my view, is honoring my emotions and approaching them with curiosity. Since arriving in the U.S., I have often felt a sense of unease and anxiety, yet I manage to keep my life meticulously organized, creating an illusion of adapting to my new environment. When I confided these feelings to my parents, they reassured me that it was entirely normal. For a brief moment, I found comfort in their words, but I quickly realized that I needed to explore the root of these emotions.

I began to observe my behavior more closely, noting the subtle shifts in my responses compared to before. This summer, I returned to China for four months, and after coming back to New York in August, I became more certain that my low-level anxiety stemmed from the challenge of balancing the institutional memories of my native culture with the societal structures of my adopted country. My current work revolves around the emotional transformations experienced by individuals during the migration process and this tension has become the central inspiration for my latest body of work.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I am a mixed-media artist currently based in New York, working across various mediums such as installations, sculpture, and video. My practice delves deeply into the emotional transformations that arise from lived experiences.

I am particularly drawn to the concept of gamifying reality, where I approach the world as though it operates within the framework of a game. In this perspective, reality has its own rules, objectives, and limitations. As a participant, I find myself navigating, struggling, and competing within these constraints. As a creator, I observe the authentic emotional responses of the audience.

“Waiting Is a Frenzy” is a work composed of photographs, video, and installation. I designed a game board with multiple sets of rules, dividing it into sections using translucent paper. Some areas of the board reveal explicit rules, while others conceal hidden ones. Due to variations in individual memory and perception, each participant uncovers a different number of rules, leading to a dynamic and evolving gameplay experience.

I captured videos of kites drifting in water and soaring in the sky. Manipulating the kite allowed me to engage with both air and ocean currents, evoking a sense of unease through the object’s rise and fall, its weight and weightlessness. This mirrors the experience of migrants, who transition not only between systems and cultures but also through profound emotional and psychological shifts. I aim to capture those fleeting moments filled with anticipation and uncertainty, where excitement intersects with anxiety, creating a subtle yet palpable psychological tension.

Sharing my work with fellow non-native individuals has been particularly gratifying, as I find resonance in their responses. People from different parts of the world have shared their own migration stories with me, and I am always thrilled to receive these narratives, which often stand in stark contrast to my own experiences.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

I believe I’ve touched on this briefly earlier in the interview, but one of the most important qualities is maintaining a sense of curiosity. On one hand, curiosity fuels creativity—it’s the driving force behind producing work that feels authentic and vibrant. When I’m driven by my own curiosity, the outcome tends to be more sincere and compelling. On the other hand, curiosity also helps keep the work from becoming monotonous. Persistence is essential for any artist, and curiosity is what sustains that commitment over the long term. So for me, curiosity, sincerity, and perseverance are the same qualities.

The second aspect would be foundational artistic skills. The breadth of one’s skills can, to a certain extent, define the boundaries of what forms an artwork can take. In my own practice, I draw on a variety of techniques such as laser cutting, 3D printing, textile printing, camera and drone footage, painting, and mixed-media sculpture. I’m not suggesting that the more skills one has, the better—after all, artists can always collaborate with external production facilities—but I do believe that having a solid understanding of these skills allows me to make more informed and intentional choices when applying them to my work. It’s similar to training ChatGPT: you achieve the best responses through deliberate training, but first, you must understand its model and rules.

The third essential quality is an open mindset and a commitment to continuous learning. The era of the artist working in isolation in the studio is long behind us. I believe it’s crucial to stay engaged—by seeing the latest exhibitions, having conversations with others, reading regularly, and acquiring new skills. These are all vital to staying relevant and pushing the boundaries of one’s practice.

What’s been one of your main areas of growth this year?

Over the past year, while pursuing my MFA in Fine Art at the School of Visual Arts in New York, my greatest area of growth has undoubtedly been my English language skills. This was my first time studying abroad, and I’ve gone from struggling to understand conversations to being able to communicate effectively. Another significant development has been experiencing an education system that differs greatly from the one I was used to in China. The encouragement-based approach here, where my classmates’ applause and the genuine appreciation from my professors have boosted my confidence, has helped me become braver and more self-assured with each project I complete. I’ve learned to trust my vision more deeply.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: xinyu_studio

Image Credits

I took them myself.