Chewing Theory, ( 咀嚼间 in Chinese, sounds as ju-jue-jian, means the process and the environment of tasting and thinking) is a research and production team that focuses on the high-quality reinterpretation of traditional cultures and the creation of future living experience, founded by HE Wei and HU NAISHU (HE+HU) in Beijing and NYC.

Consistent with the HE+HU’s previous endeavor, the brand is dedicated to sensory experience, cultural communication, and post-human relationship in a technology-saturated world. We aim to explore and envision the future for artistic expressions and lifestyles in contemporary public spaces. Our creative interdisciplinary contents and projects, combining art installation, technology, performance, and food design, interpret the world we experience with a participatory landscape and immersive theatre. We utilize vivid, humorous, and poetic storytelling to balance among the ‘multiverses’ we now inhabit — the human, natural, machinery, and digital (virtual) that at the moment intersects closely with the emotional (physical) one.

In addition, the team is dedicated to bridging traditional cultural heritage and nowadays urban life, utilizing art, technology, as well as unexpected sensory experience. In the form of immersive theater, commissioned public artwork and installation, cultural product, creative digital content, data visualization, and virtual experience, we revitalize traditional culture around the world to empower institutions, brands, and enterprises who need high-quality creative content for public communicational, promotion and sale. In this way, we bring creative cultural solutions and vitality to both historical and newly-developed boroughs of cities during the process of urban renewal.

Over the years, Chewing Theory has accomplished artistic direction for 2021 BMW’s Travelling Exhibition in China, Morgan Stanley (China) 25th Anniversary Celebration, Ullens Center for Contemporary Art Gala 2018, Budweiser’s Theatrical Art Project 2020 in Beijing, McDonald’s First Pop-up Immersive Exhibition in Shanghai, ACAW Kick-off Party 2017, and the Opening Art Event for the New Museum’s Annual Showcase Public Beta 2016 in NYC, etc. (More information is available at jujuejian.com)

HE+HU was formed in 2015 in New York City by the duo He Wei and Hu Naishu. HE+HU is a creative art and consulting collective that explores human relationships and cultural communication through innovative art programs. On one hand, it is an experimental art practice that uses food as its main medium, combining art and technology in order to create what they call a participatory art event. They use “play” as a method to explore the context of dining and to achieve a balance among space, art and the generality of food culture. They believe food and art is their medium to communicate and experience the world. Food evokes people’s disturbing innocence while sharing love to eliminate prejudice. Their work can be described as form of social practice and, in particular, as a performance about communication and social environment. On the other hand, the duo also facilitates a dialogue between east and west, working to bridge cultures through food, art, and design practices deeply rooted in Chinese culture.

HE and HU was the first Chinese members of NEW INC, the first museum led art, design and technology incubator program hosted at the New Museum of Contemporary Art. They are also part of the founding members of China Programs Advisory Committee in New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA). Besides, they are the partnership advisors of Museum of Food and Drinks (MOFAD), the first New York food museum.

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