BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

Valkyrie Yao is a multidisciplinary artist, choreographer, and filmmaker whose work bridges the ancient wisdom of Eastern philosophies with contemporary methodologies. Straddling the cultural dimensions of East and West, Yao crafts immersive, multi-sensory experiences that weave together movement, installation, and film. Steeped in the teachings of Daoism and Tibetan Buddhism, Yao’s practice creates containers that unravel the delicate interplay between cultural preservation and innovation, presence and absence, seen and unseen.

Yao’s artistic vision is centered on an unwavering reverence for both nature and the ethereal, where every piece functions as a conduit connecting audiences to the liminal spaces between the known and the unknown. With a deep respect for their ancestral heritage, they seek to unearth and revitalize the wisdom of their forebears, reimagining it in ways that challenge contemporary understandings of identity, power, and the human condition. Through their art, Yao invites the viewer into spaces where unfamiliarity is not only explored but becomes an extension of the self, fostering moments of introspection, transformation, and connection.

Yao’s work has garnered national and international acclaim, being featured on prominent stages and in renowned institutions, including I SEE at National Sawdust in New York City (2024), as well as exhibitions and performances at the Phoenix Art Museum (2022) and the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (2023). Their short film What’s Left earned the Best Short Film award at the SWIFF Film Festival (2023), marking their distinct approach to merging cinematic storytelling with conceptual depth and spiritual resonance. This recognition speaks to their skill in weaving both visual and philosophical narratives, creating deeply immersive experiences.

Yao has received multiple honors, including the National Scholarship from the China Scholarship Council, Ministry of Education, for four consecutive years (2018–2021), as well as the 2024 Outstanding Research Award from the ASU Graduate Student Government. They are also the Interdisciplinary Arts Fellow with Ballet Arizona for 2025. In 2024, Yao was invited to present their work at the 2025 Florence Biennale XV, further cementing their presence in the global art sphere. This recognition underscores Yao’s growing influence as they push artistic boundaries, challenge conventional notions of identity and expression, and establish themselves as a leading force in multidisciplinary art-making.

As a true traveler between worlds—both physical and metaphysical—Yao continues to redefine the landscape of contemporary art, embodying a dynamic fusion of cultural heritage, spiritual philosophy, and the complexities of modern existence. Their practice extends beyond performing and visual arts—it is an act of excavation, a reimagining of overlooked wisdom in contemporary forms. Their work exists as a vessel, a portal, an invitation to step into the liminal, where unfamiliarity transforms into familiarity.