Growing up in a small immigrant industrial town in Northwest China without a local dialect, Yulong developed an acute awareness of how language and culture shape identity. Later experiences studying in Shanghai and the United Kingdom further sharpened this sensitivity, particularly toward the cultural significance of food and dialect as markers of belonging. These experiences became the foundation for a series of personal artistic explorations.

From the perspective of food language and Shanghai culture, the series Food Words of Shanghainese examines the relationship between contemporary popular culture, food, dialect, and identity. The works use food-related puns and wordplay rooted in the Shanghainese dialect as points of entry, translating linguistic nuance into visual and conceptual form.

Shanghainese is notable for its extensive use of loanwords, especially those classified as Yangjingbang, many of which originate from English. In addition, numerous terms have evolved beyond their original meanings to include related or metaphorical concepts, with food nouns forming a particularly prominent category. These linguistic characteristics reveal how language and culture are deeply intertwined, continuously shaping local identity and modes of expression.

Exhibition Sponsored by Galeries Lafayette