About

Born in Shanghai, China, Yutian Deng (邓雨田) is a painter, sculptor, and classical Chinese poetry writer currently based in Chicago. Her works stem from the intricate cultural perceptions shaped by her past experiences and the collective subconscious memories of contemporary China, which ultimately find release through the theme of animals. In a collectivist society where both individual subjectivity and animal rights are often overlooked, the shared marginalization of individuals and animals force them to remain silent under grand narratives. Through her interactions with pets, she discovered the emotional connection between humans and animals, where human nature and animality reflect each other as mirrors within the collective subconscious. Through her outpouring of artistic expression, this observation also transforms into a healing process for emotional trauma.

Her paintings and sculptures have been exhibited in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Chengdu, China. She plans to receive her Bachelor of Arts degree from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2026.