Chris Zhongtian Yuan in Conversation with Valentin Diakonov

esea contemporary

Join us for a conversation between artist Chris Zhongtian Yuan & Valentin Diakonov, Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at the Whitworth.

'Two Improvisations' Public Programme

Chris Zhongtian Yuan's exhibition 'Two Improvisations' is accompanied by an events programme exploring the exhibition’s themes.

Join us for the finissage of Two Improvisations, featuring a <a href="https://www.eseacontemporary.org/events/chris-zhongtian-yuan-in-conversation-with-valentin-diakonov" title="https://www.eseacontemporary.org/events/chris-zhongtian-yuan-in-conversation-with-valentin-diakonov" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">conversation</a> between artist Chris Zhongtian Yuan and Valentin Diakonov, Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art from the Whitworth Art Gallery.Exploring themes of diasporic practices and making on the move, this conversation will reflect on Yuan's multidisciplinary practice and the ideas that shape Two Improvisations. Together, Yuan and Diakonov will discuss how migration, cultural memory, storytelling, performance, music, and curatorial practice intersect, considering artistic experimentation as a way of navigating identity and belonging across borders.The conversation will be followed by an audience Q&amp;A and marks the closing weekend of the exhibition.Booking is required for this event.About <a href="https://www.eseacontemporary.org/events/chris-zhongtian-yuan-in-conversation-with-valentin-diakonov#" title="https://www.eseacontemporary.org/events/chris-zhongtian-yuan-in-conversation-with-valentin-diakonov#" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Chris Zhongtian Yuan</a>Chris Zhongtian Yuan (b. 1988, Wuhan) is an artist based in London. Their practice centres on ‘punk filmmakingʼ, which deploys techniques drawn from improvisational music and experimental animation. Moving fluidly between reality and myth, digital and analogue, Yuan's work examines the role of memory in familial, domestic and institutional spaces and relationships.Yuan has presented work internationally, including at John Hansard Gallery; Studio Voltaire; Surplus Space, Wuhan; Current Plans, Hong Kong; Somerset House; Reading International; Macalline Art Center, Beijing; The Courtauld Institute of Art; Kunsthal Rotterdam; Kunsthal Charlottenborg, Copenhagen; Guangdong Times Museum; Whitechapel Gallery; OCAT Institute, Beijing; Power Station of Art; Videox Zurich; and the International Film Festival Rotterdam, among others. They have also contributed to the Venice Architecture Biennale (Greek Pavilion) and the B3 Moving Image Biennale. Yuan holds an AA Diploma from the Architectural Association School of Architecture.About <a href="https://www.eseacontemporary.org/events/chris-zhongtian-yuan-in-conversation-with-valentin-diakonov#" title="https://www.eseacontemporary.org/events/chris-zhongtian-yuan-in-conversation-with-valentin-diakonov#" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Valentin Diakonov</a>Valentin Diakonov (b. 1980, Moscow, Russia) is the curator of Modern and Contemporary art at the Whitworth, University of Manchester. He served as curator at the Garage Museum of Contemporary Art, Moscow, in 2016-2022, organising group projects (Congo Art Works/Chukotka Art Works, The Fabric of Felicity, A Beautiful Night for All the People) and solo shows by Rasheed Araeen, Juergen Teller, Sophia al-Maria and others. In 2022-2024 he was critic in residence at the Core Program in the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, where he organised Houston Hauntology, a three-day symposium on the esoteric, the hidden, and the ephemeral in Houston’s visual culture at TransArt Foundation. As an art critic, he published reviews and articles in many Russian- and English-language publications, such as Frieze, e flux Criticism, Glasstire, Burnaway, and others.Image credits:1.Chris Zhongtian Yuan, 'Two Improvisations: A Punk Musical' (2026), 2-channel film. Commissioned by esea contemporary. Photograph by Jules Lister.2.Chris Zhongtian Yuan, 'Two Improvisations', commissioned by esea contemporary. Photograph by Jules Lister. 3-4. Travels in Houston: Image courtesy of Valentin Diakonov. 5. Chris Zhongtian Yuan, 'Two Improvisations: A Punk Musical' (2026), 2-channel film. Commissioned by esea contemporary. Photograph by Jules Lister.6. Portrait of Chris Zhongtian Yuan, courtesy of artist. Photography by Adama Jalloh.7.Valentin Diakonov, Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, The Whitworth

<a href="https://www.eseacontemporary.org/" title="https://www.eseacontemporary.org/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">About esea contemporary</a><a href="https://www.eseacontemporary.org/" title="https://www.eseacontemporary.org/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">esea contemporary</a> is the UK’s only non-profit art centre specialising in presenting and platforming artists and art practices that identify with and are informed by East and Southeast Asian (ESEA) cultural backgrounds.esea contemporary is situated in an award-winning building in the heart of Manchester, home to one of the largest East Asian populations in the UK. Since its inauguration as a community-oriented visual arts festival in 1986, esea contemporary has continuously evolved to establish itself as a dynamic and engaging space for cross-cultural exchanges in the British art scene, as well as in a global context.esea contemporary aims to increase the visibility of contemporary art practices from the East and Southeast Asian communities and their diasporas. It is a site for forward-thinking art programmes that beyond exhibitions also include commissions, research, residencies, publishing, and a wide range of vibrant public events. esea contemporary values creativity, compassion, interconnectedness, and collectivity in implementing its mission.Learn more at: www.eseacontemporary.orgPhoto by Joe Smith.

Chris Zhongtian Yuan in Conversation with Valentin Diakonov

More events from esea contemporary

Discover more events from esea contemporary, from Film & Media to other experiences you might love.

Still looking for the right event?

Explore all events in Manchester and filter by date, category, and more to find the perfect fit.

Chris Zhongtian Yuan in Conversation with Valentin Diakonov

More events from esea contemporary

Discover more events from esea contemporary, from Film & Media to other experiences you might love.

You might also like...

Browse more events with different dates, prices, and formats to find your next great experience.

Still looking for the right event?

Explore all events in Manchester and filter by date, category, and more to find the perfect fit.