Xiaoping Yu is based in Edinburgh and has completed her Master’s degree in Contemporary Art Practice at The University of Edinburgh. She believes that art knows no boundaries, so she is experimenting with various media. She makes sculpture, wall pieces, and installations in clay and resin. Her art concretises the involuntary memories and emotions of the individual, revealing complexities that reflect existence, nature, history, and behaviour. One by one, the brushstrokes are scattered throughout the picture, encapsulating time and memories triggered by emotions and senses. Focusing on intricate details, her work aims to make the invisible visible, exploring the deep connections between herself and the world.

See Xiaoping‘s work as part of our annual autumn open call exhibition, Future/Past, featuring a sublime collection of works by twenty six artists inspired by ancestral echoes and future visions; pieces that dismantle tradition, reimagine narratives, and linger in the margins of the radical, the oneiric, and the everyday.

Hi Xiaoping! Tell us how your artistic journey started.
I started learning painting and music when I was a child, and art has always been a way for me to talk to myself. As a quiet person, I enjoy observing the world, imagining, and creating when I am alone. Later I realised that making art is like building a small universe for myself – a place where energy flows slowly and all my emotions can be held.

How did you arrive at the theme of your work?
My work made in the past two years is closely connected to my own life. Moving from my home country to study and then live in Scotland, I experienced loneliness, culture shock, and the struggle of adapting to a new place. I also saw many international students going through similar feelings. Because of this, my works often explore themes like ‘being in a foreign land’, ‘containers’, and ‘migration’, giving these emotions a shape and making them visible to others.

Can you walk us through your creative process?
My creative process is like a slow meditation:

• Trigger: A dream, a feeling in my body, or a moment of homesickness can all be the start.
• Record: I make quick sketches or write words to capture the emotion of that moment.
• Experiment: I keep trying different materials like clay, resin, mirrors, and video until one of them feels right for the emotion.
• Shape: I spend hours shaping clay and adjusting details, until the work in my hands seems to start breathing.

When it is finished, I feel it has become another “space” for me — a place to hold emotions and store energy.

Are there specific advantages or challenges associated with working in your chosen mediums?
I love using air dry clay and resin because they feel soft but can hold a shape, just like emotions you can mould. I also play with mirrors and video to create space. The hardest part is balancing technique and ideas. Next, I want to try works with movement or even audience interaction!

What advice would you give to artists who are just starting out?
Don’t worry if you’re sensitive or introverted – that can be your strength. Take your time, explore, and don’t rush to find a style. Most of the time I just start, even if I feel lost, and once I begin, everything feels better.

Are there any upcoming events or additional information you would like the audience to know?
Please follow xiaooart.com -I share updates about new exhibitions and projects there. I hope my works can keep growing new meanings in different places and connect with more people. I also join art markets sometimes to sell my handmade clay jewellery and small pieces

Find out more about Xiaoping’s work on her Instagram or website. Future/Past runs at Six Foot Gallery until Tuesday 14th October.