Exhibitions were where YÁO began, and they remain a central part of what we do today. We work with artists who are still studying, just beginning their careers, or at different stages of their creative development, offering a space where they can engage directly with their work, the space itself, and audiences. Rather than transforming the original living space into a neutral white cube, YÁO has retained the building’s existing features and traces of its past, allowing the space itself to become part of both the creative process and the experience of viewing art. For us, an exhibition is not simply a presentation of finished work, but can also be a process of experimentation, exchange and continued development.

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Alongside our ongoing exhibition programme, YÁO has gradually developed curatorial projects that respond to our observations of artistic practice, everyday life and the environments we inhabit. From these experiences, we have also developed residencies, living programmes and other forms of exchange. These practices allow relationships between artists and YÁO to extend beyond the period of an exhibition. Through working, staying and spending time together, we develop a deeper understanding of one another and of different ways of living.

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We have always been interested in how artistic practice takes shape, as well as the everyday lives of the people behind it. From how a work enters a space to how people from different backgrounds work, stay and exchange experiences in the same place, YÁO continues to explore different ways of providing the space, time and support that creative practices need, while leaving room for ideas that have yet to take shape.

The character 「窯」 (Yáo) refers to the process of firing and transformation, while 「座」 (Zuò) carries the meaning of a base or support. YÁO hopes to serve as a point of support in an artist’s creative journey, a place where practices at different stages can be proposed, tested and developed further.