IMPULSE Magazine Founder Xuezhu Jenny Wang on Artists Occupying Unconventional Spaces

What happens when an artist transforms a bedroom, a public street, or even a virtual landscape into an exhibition space? For Xuezhu Jenny Wang, founder of IMPULSE Magazine these unconventional choices represent acts of radical resistance, protest, and the celebration of cultural resilience.

In less than a year, IMPULSE—a publication at the intersection of art and activism—has emerged as an exciting platform for artists to challenge boundaries through the lenses of social justice and human rights. Wang’s current focus delves into artistic exhibitions that take place outside traditional spaces. She is particularly interested in how such settings challenge established norms, disrupt conventional viewer experiences, and amplify the voices of diasporic communities while addressing pressing global issues.

“IMPULSE is committed to the power of storytelling,” Wang shared in a conversation with art currently. “Through interviews with international creatives, we take a human-centric approach to art, highlighting specific stories that resonate with readers from all walks of life. Our goal is to foster a space of mutual understanding and empathy.”

For many diasporic and emerging artists, unconventional spaces provide a rare opportunity for unfiltered self-expression, free from commercial constraints or institutional oversight. One example is IMPULSE’s recent feature on Conduct, a two-person show by Dana DeGiulio and Hunter Foster. The bedroom gallery, Iowa, becomes a site where personal identity, culture, and the experience of exile converge. By reshaping a traditionally “private” space into a public exhibition, these artists redefine the concept of public space, creating an intimate yet accessible experience that may feel more inviting than a conventional gallery setting.

Wang’s forward-thinking approach views contemporary art as a tool for advocacy—bridging art and activism to address urgent social issues in a dynamic, approachable way. “Art is powerful because it sparks confrontation and dialogue without prescribing a singular perspective,” she notes. “It’s a platform for boundless experimentation, where messages of social activism can be communicated, with or without words.” IMPULSE's focus on international artists working outside conventional spaces aligns with its broader mission: to decolonize the art world and provide a platform for marginalized voices and silenced narratives.

Reflecting on IMPULSE’s impactful stories, Wang highlights an interview with Ruoyi Shi, who spoke about the complexities of identity and language. “As foreigners living with a non-native tongue, we often find ourselves questioning and reinventing our identity through language—it’s almost an involuntary process,” Shi noted. For Wang, these reflections resonate deeply, emphasizing how migratory experiences shape both personal identities and artistic practices.

With contributors from across the globe, IMPULSE broadens the conversation around the diasporic experience, emphasizing its universality beyond the U.S. or New York-centric perspectives. “We want to offer our readers a truly global perspective,” Wang explains, “and cultivate an expansive network of journalists passionate about arts and human rights.”

As IMPULSE Magazine continues to grow, it remains a pivotal force in the evolving dialogue between art and activism. By encouraging artists to push boundaries, occupy unconventional spaces, and use their creative practices to advocate for change, Wang and her publication are reshaping the narrative of contemporary art. In doing so, they highlight art’s transformative power to influence identity, drive collective action, and challenge the status quo.