Jingwen Yao
“Roots of Potatoes” delves into the geographical and cultural histories of one of the world’s most familiar foods. Through a mixed-media installation, the work traces the journey of the potato from its Andean origins to its global presence today, shedding light on the interplay between nature, culture and history that lie beneath the surface of this humble tuber.
“When imagining peace, I think of a world where these connections become visible and valued rather than erased or contested. The project invites viewers to see the potato not merely as sustenance, but as a living witness to the flows of immigration, power and exchange that have defined our shared history. Combining visual, material and historical narratives, the installation creates a space for reflection on belonging and interconnectedness. Just as the potato took root in new soils, the work contemplates how identities and values, too, are transplanted, adapting and evolving across boundaries.”
Jingwen Yao (b. 1990, Beijing) is a Berlin-based multidisciplinary artist working across painting, installation, and research-driven projects. Her practice explores relationships between ecology, migration, and belonging through material experimentation and socially engaged processes. Since relocating to Berlin in 2021, her work has been presented in various project spaces and galleries across Germany. In 2025, she was awarded the HVB KunstCUBEs artist grant, a year-long public exhibition program supported by UniCredit, and was selected for the IN//Between Residency funded by the Berliner Landeszentrale für politische Bildung. In 2023, her painting was featured in Der Tagesspiegel for her participation in the exhibition Contemporary Positions on Portraiture. She has also realized site-responsive projects in public space, including an installation in Park am Nordbahnhof funded by Bezirksamt Mitte von Berlin.
“Roots of Potatoes”, 2025, laser-cut MDF plate, acrylic paint, canvas, bamboo stick, cotton thread, shadow (canvas 120x240cm, MDF plate 80x40cm)
