Meet Yilei

Hi, I'm Yilei Yang, the founder of Eureka. Back in 2023, after graduating from NYU VAA (Visual Arts Administration) program, I took time to reflect on what I've learned and where I am headed. The idea for Eureka emerged as I relocated from New York to Chicago, an experience that made me realize how changing environments can fundamentally reshape our understanding of familiar concepts. But the seed was planted much earlier when I first left home for college, and it grew stronger as I walked in the streets of New York, absorbing the city's energy and contradictions. Moving from New York to Chicago, and later to Seattle, alongside travels across regions, gave me more to reflect on, about place, society, and more.

The name Eureka came from a line in The 400 Blows, a film I watched in college during a history of film course. The character breaks from routine, steps into the unfamiliar, and makes him say “Eureka!”—a moment of clarity born from dislocation. That feeling stayed with me. It captured the spirit of what I hoped Eureka could be: a space shaped by movement, inquiry, and insight.

My exposure to diverse cultural contexts, combined with my academic background in arts, culture, and society, gives me a unique perspective on how artistic expression and social structures intersect. Eureka is a platform where curiosity meets analysis, art engages with systems, and local stories connect to universal themes. Through my writing and research, I hope to reveal the often invisible connections that shape our daily lives.

When I am not writing, you'll likely find me hiking trails, exploring museums, or simply walking through cities with fresh eyes, always looking for those moments of insight that make us see the world differently.