New Exhibit: A Glimpse: Serendipity Across Cultures, by Yutong Chloe Wu

“A Glimpse: Serendipity Across Cultures is a project that seeks to honor cultural heritage, while fostering connections across diverse communities. By creating a physical and metaphorical threshold, the installation invites viewers to reflect on the beauty of serendipity, the power of shared memory, and the universal human experience of crossing boundaries.

A Glimpse: Serendipity Across Cultures builds upon Yutong Chloe Wu's previous artwork, A Glimpse which explores the serendipitous connections formed through fleeting glimpses of life behind half-open doors in rural China’s hutong alleys. The work captures the tension between concealment and revelation, memory and destiny, and the profound beauty of shared humanity.

The life-sized, lithographic print of a traditional Chinese gate, reimagined as a fusion of Chinese and New York architectural elements, serves as a physical and metaphorical threshold, inviting viewers to reflect on themes of cultural memory, serendipity, and the universal experience of crossing boundaries—both literal and figurative.

With intricate detail and a tactile connection to the past, the design blends the ornate patterns of a traditional Chinese gate with the iconic features of a New York City townhouse door, symbolizing the intersection of cultures and shared human experiences. Approach the door and “glimpse” through its openings to echo the act of peering into the lives of strangers in the hutongs. Spring couplets and Chinese style plants behind the “door” represent the aesthetics of traditional Chinese architecture.

This project aims to resonate deeply with the diverse community at Teachers College, particularly Chinese students who participate a vital proportion in this campus and may find a sense of cultural connection and shared memory in the work. At the same time, the universal theme of the “door” as a symbol of transition, opportunity, and connection will speak to a broader audience, including those familiar with the iconic doors of New York City.

Art can serve as a bridge between cultures, fostering empathy and understanding. By combining traditional Chinese and New York architectural elements, the installation highlights the shared human experiences that transcend geographic and cultural boundaries.”

– Yutong Chloe Wu, M.A., Art and Art Education, 2025

Bio

Yutong Chloe Wu was born in China and is based in New York City.  After earning a BS in Art Education from the University of Wisconsin, she came to Teachers College to further her study of Art and Art. She served as the vice president of the Teachers College National Art Education Association where she led a group of future art educators and earned her Masters in Art Education in May 2025. Chloe was awarded the 2025 Myers award for A Glimpse: Serendipity Across Cultures.

Chloe’s artworks have been exhibited at numerous galleries, including the Macy Gallery of Teachers College for Together: Ways of Being (2024) and the Spring 2025 Studio Works Exhibition. A lithographer, painter, and multimedia artist, Chloe explores the boundaries between the personal and the collective. She has taught art to students in kindergarten to high school. Her museum experiences, including internships at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation and the New York City Museum Educator Roundtable (NYCMER), have deepened her commitment to creating art that engages diverse audiences and fosters meaningful dialogue.

Writes Chloe, “My artistic practice is a dance between rationality and emotion. Printmaking, with its meticulous process, allows me to tell deeply personal stories that resonate universally.”

Acknowledgements

 A Glimpse: Serendipity Across Cultures is funded through the generous support of the Myers Foundations. The exhibit is designed by Soeun Bae, Library Associate for Art and Design, in collaboration with the artist, Yutong Chloe Wu; and Jennifer Govan, Library Director and Senior Librarian.

Where: Offit Gallery

When: September 5 - October 17

Poster Image by Yutong Chloe Wu