Yupeng Wu

Yupeng Wu studies early modern Eurasian artistic and cultural exchanges, with a particular focus on Safavid Persia and its connections to Europe through mobile objects and artisanal knowledge networks. Her current research engages the notion of textility to examine the entangled relationship between textile and text, especially how spinning and weaving operate both as material practices and conceptual frameworks for meaning-making across media. As a handweaver and knitter, Yupeng advocates for bringing practical experiences of making and handling objects into art historical writing and learning. 

Prior to joining Yale, Yupeng worked as the Assistant Curator at The Postal Museum in London, where she worked with a diverse collection of artworks and objects predominantly from Britain in the early modern period, with a focus on reframing and uncovering untold narratives to reveal their global connections. She also worked at the Kamel Lazaar Foundation as a Curatorial Assistant, supporting artistic projects and cultural initiatives in the MENA region. 

Yupeng holds a BA from Bryn Mawr College and an MA with high distinction from the Courtauld Institute of Art, both in history of art. Her previous work has been recognised through the Association for Art History (UK) Postgraduate Dissertation Prize and The Courtauld Prize for Outstanding MA Dissertation.