Peregrination: Xiaojing Yan 闫晓静 Exhibit and more at Contemporary Craft

Please join us to check out Peregrination: Xiaojing Yan 闫晓静 exhibit (on display from February 6, 2026 to May 2, 2026) at Contemporary Craft, 5645 Butler Street, which is open Monday-Saturday from 10 AM - 5 PM.

Please note there will be a free guided Gallery Tour on Saturday, March 21 at 11 AM. Registration required.

Peregrination, a long and meandering journey…
This exhibition features work by Toronto based artist, Xiaojing Yan. Through the lens of personal migration and cultural hybridity, Yan explores the evolving relationship between identity, tradition, and the natural world. Yan’s art reflects a journey of transformation – an intricate weaving of folklore, ritual, and nature into a symbolic and dreamlike representation of lived experience.

Drawing from ancient Chinese myths and customs, Yan reinterprets traditional narrative through a contemporary lens, reflecting on the fluidity of cultural memory. Her practice is both a tribute and a reimagining, examining how heritage can be at once rooted and reshaped – especially through her choices of materials and processes. Natural motifs, often deeply embedded in Chinese folklore, emerge in her work as metaphors for movement, adaptation, and belonging. Mountains, rivers, and celestial elements echo the rhythms of migration, symbolizing the passage between worlds – both physical and spiritual.
Through meticulous craftsmanship and layered symbolism, her work becomes a meditation space – where the past converses with the present. Laden with symbolism, her creations remain as resonant today as they were historically, also engaging with contemporary concerns. In this act of peregrination, Yan constructs a landscape uniquely her own, evoking poetic and philosophical reflections on humanity’s connection to the natural world.

This exhibition is part of Handwork 2026.

While at Contemporary Craft, check out:

1. Gift Store As part of Contemporary Craft’s mission, their goal is to support nationally recognized craft artists, as well as new and emerging talent. The CC Store represents over 150 artists nationwide, offering handmade, one-of-a-kind art pieces in ceramic, fiber, glass, jewelry, metal, mixed media, paper, wood, and furniture. Each of these pieces has spent countless hours in the hands of an artist before reaching us. When you purchase work at Contemporary Craft, you directly support the livelihood of working artists and helping to advance the economic ecosystem of the craft community.
2. Check out Contemporary Craft’s Studios that offer in-person craft classes and workshops in metals/jewelry making, wood, fiber, mixed media, book binding, and paper arts at every level from beginner-friendly to mastery. Check out the full list of workshops and register on their upcoming workshops page! Or learn more about their Open Studio Rental program. Scholarship money is also available for all Workshops and for Open Studio Rental. Click to apply! Consider supporting the Studio with a purchase from their Wish List!

Meetup Considerations Depending on the interests of the group and the weather forecast, the group will discuss other Saturday afternoon options, such as walking around Lawrenceville or grabbing lunch/drink at a nearby restaurant. For example, Hop Farm Brewing is located only 1 block away from Contemporary Craft. It is open from 12 PM – 11 PM on Saturdays, while the kitchen is open from 3 PM - 10 PM.

Stay tuned for updates!

Parking and Accessibility Contemporary Craft has its own small parking lot. Street parking is available as this part of Upper Lawrenceville is not usually very busy. Public transportation is available as PRT Buses 87 and 91 have bus stops next to Contemporary Craft.