Hu Yun: A Journey

Talk and performance by artist Hu Yun

A live conversation in Chinese between two actors alluding to the tea trade of times past begins this participatory event. Hu Yun then embarks on a lecture-style performance using words, images, and sounds to highlight the experiences he garnered as an artist resident in 2010 at the Natural History Museum in London. At times, the artist enlivens the 'journey' for audience members who are encouraged to engage in the performance through yoga-related breathing and movement techniques.  

Taken in part from Hu Yun’s ongoing A Natural History Research (2011-present) project, A Journey intermixes perceived historical truths with personal interpretation. By asking the audience to literally and physically explore how 'grand' narratives are created, disseminated, and received over time, Hu Yun opens up new possibilities for how subjective experience may be used to mobilise the re-reading of history in the 'here and now'.


Hu Yun was born in Shanghai, where he continues to live and work. He graduated from China Academy of Art's School of Intermedia Art in 2008. He was an artist-in-residence in 2010 and created a project in 2011 through the Natural History Museum in collaboration with Gasworks, London. Solo exhibitions include Magician Space, Beijing (2010); Goethe-Institut, Shanghai (2012); and AIKE-Dellarco Gallery, Shanghai (2013) among others. His works have also been exhibited at Times Museum, Guangzhou (2014); 7th Shenzhen Sculpture Biennale, Shenzhen (2012); and 4th Guangzhou Triennial, Guangzhou (2012). Hu Yun is co-founder of the independent art e-journal, PDF and initiated the artist project, Youth Sale Store in 2010.


Mapping Asia is an unfolding publication, exhibition, and programme series presented by Asia Art Archive that explores multiple vantage points from which to consider Asia, looking beyond inherited boundaries, histories, and political and economic systems to entanglements and connections across time, sites, and geographies.