Meet Xumeng Zhang

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

Xumeng, so great to have you sharing your thoughts and wisdom with our readers and so let’s jump right into one of our favorite topics – empathy. We think a lack of empathy is at the heart of so many issues the world is struggling with and so our hope is to contribute to an environment that fosters the development of empathy. Along those lines, we’d love to hear your thoughts around where your empathy comes from?

I was born in Beijing and am now based in New York. For a long time, I found myself sensing the atmosphere of a room before anyone spoke, carefully adjusting my reactions. Living and working across different cultures taught me to observe people’s responses with great care, so as not to come across as disrespectful unintentionally. At times, I even felt insecure about this tendency, because it meant I wasn’t always the first to voice my thoughts — and sometimes I felt unseen.

Over time, however, I came to realize that silence carries as much weight as words, and that understanding another person requires not only listening, but also feeling with them, shifting perspectives, and fully respecting views different from my own. This ability to listen deeply grew stronger during a period when I supported a friend through an arduous healing journey. We slowed down, shared silence, and patiently listened to one another — and in those moments, my empathy expanded.

That experience profoundly shaped my decision to explore the intersection of art and health. My sensitivity to emotions and language became the foundation of my empathy, and it now defines the way I work as a curator in this niche field.

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 the founder and curator of Healer Arts, a cross-disciplinary curatorial studio dedicated to exploring the intersections of art, health, and emotional well-being. Our mission is to create spaces where art is not only exhibited but also experienced as a tool for reflection, healing, and dialogue.

What excites me most about this work is witnessing how art can transform the way people relate to themselves and to others. In our past exhibitions, we have invited artists to collaborate with doctors and health practitioners to co-create experiences that are both therapeutic and artistic. This interdisciplinary fusion makes Healer Arts unique: it is not just about presenting art, but about cultivating environments that nurture empathy, resilience, and community — where mental health is no longer stigmatized, but understood as something as common as a ‘cold of the soul.’

At present, I am focused on expanding Healer Arts through international collaborations. We are planning future exhibitions in partnership with hospitals and universities, continuing to highlight the connections between creativity and healing. We are also developing participatory programs — from interactive installations to workshops — that invite audiences to engage actively. For me, what feels most meaningful is building a platform that shows how art can serve as a form of care, and how curatorial practice can become a bridge between aesthetics and human well-being.

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?

First, the ability to listen deeply. I learned that listening is not a passive act: it is an active skill that enables us to connect on a more meaningful level. For those starting, practice presence: give others the space to speak and resist the urge to fill the silence immediately.

Second, cross-cultural sensitivity. Living and working between Beijing and New York taught me that empathy often begins with respecting perspectives that are very different from our own. My advice here is to step outside of your comfort zone — travel if you can, but even more importantly, seek out conversations with people who think differently from you.

Third, embracing interdisciplinarity. My path in art and health has been shaped by drawing on multiple fields, including psychology, medicine, visual culture, and curatorial studies. For those early in their journey, I’d say: don’t be afraid to read widely, to collaborate across disciplines, and to let unexpected sources influence your work.

Together, these three qualities: listening, sensitivity, and interdisciplinarity, have not only defined my professional journey but also taught me that growth always begins with openness.

Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?

I am always looking for partners and collaborators. In particular, I would love to connect with organizations and individuals working in mental health and art therapy, as well as universities and hospitals interested in exploring the intersection of art and health.

Healer Arts has been fortunate to collaborate with respected institutions, including the Shanghai Mental Health Center and the Art Therapy Lab of the Central Academy of Fine Arts. Our research fellows come from leading academic institutions, including Peking University, Harvard, UCL, SVA, MICA, and NYU etc, which allows us to build a community where artists and health experts can meaningfully work together.

I welcome everyone to connect with me, whether through partnerships, exhibitions, or research — and to join us in building bridges between art and well-being.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xumeng_z4869/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/xumeng-zhang-sienna/