In August 2026, the group exhibition “Night Swimming”, curated by Chupei Yu, was held at the BienCuadrado Art gallery in Barcelona (Spain). The exhibition’s concept effectively illustrates Chupei Yu’s curatorial approach, which is based not on selecting artworks according to their formal resemblance, but on their sequential juxtaposition in terms of meaning and their integration into the exhibition space. The central author’s tactic was to present the idea of night-swimming as a starting point for a dialogue about the individual. The exhibition reveals an individual stepping outside the confines of habitual social roles to experience a state of freedom, inviting viewers to sense a feeling of weightlessness and a suspension between reality and dreams.
Chupei Yu’s curatorial method is particularly noticeable in her use of a variety of art media. She often combines paintings, photographs and digital art in one space not just for the sake of variety in exhibitions. Instead of this, each subsequent work of art changes the understanding of the previous one, offering viewers the opportunity to rethink what they have already seen. The gallery space itself helps Chupei Yu focus on a specific message. Namely, at a moment when the boundaries of reality blur, she invites us to take a fresh look at our bodies, our memories and our changing relationships with the environment.
Chupei Yu selected a group of artists who work with different techniques to compose creative products, while quite accurately embodying the curatorial concept of the exhibition. For illustration, Yangyi Fu (Beyond the Iris) focuses on the limitations of perceiving the surrounding world through the human senses. In addition, the artist shows that our vision of reality is always limited by the conviction that only our own point of view is correct. At the same time, another work created by Haibo Jia (Bloodline of Echoes) shifts our attention to the generational conflict, while continuing to develop the overall theme of limitations and boundaries. Thus, it would seem that, on the one hand, we see different artists and the various media they use at the exhibition, on the other hand, they explore similar issues related to boundaries and limitations.
Thereby, it is safe to say that curator Chupei Yu establishes connections between artworks by gradually broadening the scope of the themes explored. The discussion begins with the boundaries of perception, moves on to human memory and cultural identity, and finally touches upon technology and the control of information. In doing so, Chupei Yu allows viewers to chart their own path, without explicitly spelling out every connection directly and in detail. An audience move from the static contemplation of images on the wall to video art, where sound, movement, and temporal sequence emerge. As they immerse themselves in a digital artwork, viewers focus not only on its content but also on the mechanisms of comprehension. Ultimately, we begin to observe ourselves specifically, how we look at arts and absorb the information seen.
Hereby, Chupei Yu views the exhibition space as a dynamic system for the perception of artworks, existing at the intersection of art, theater, and digital media. Her interest lies not in the artwork itself, but in the interaction between viewers, artworks, and the exhibition.
Written by Valentina Shaeva.
