Murmuration

THE BLANC (15 East 40th Street, New York, NY 10016) is pleased to show Murmuration (Sept.24 - Oct. 24, 2026), a solo presentation by Chicago-based artist Jiaming You (b. 1991), curated by Leo Yuan.

On autumn and winter evenings, European starlings gather in vast, shape-shifting swarms of up to hundreds of thousands. They swoop, swirl, and weave through the sky in synchronized, sweeping waves. This mesmerizing phenomenon is known as a murmuration.

For her latest project, Jiaming You transforms the walls and windows of the gallery into an expansive field of flight with flocks of acrylic, mirror, and wood panels in the shape of bird silhouettes. A total of 88 pieces from her recent Murmuration series and Portal series are included in the exhibition. Drawing on the fluid choreography of bird swarms, Murmuration maps the intricate coordinates of the human condition, situating the singular self within the collective, while weighing systemic restrictions of movement against the longing for freedom, and rigid earthly borders against humanity’s small yet profound place in the universe.

The three distinct materials chosen by the artist—mirror acrylic, color-tinted translucent acrylic, and painted wood panels—each draw upon a specific reference, embodying a unique facet of You’s recent artistic and personal encounters.