Guliniali, Tuerhong (Gulnihal)

Guliniali, Tuerhong (Gulnihal) never imagined that she’d go down a creative path. Growing up in Ürümqi, China, the idea of turning creativity into a career felt far off. But a college project in media studies changed everything. Since then, the Brooklyn-based creative has been telling stories about memory, identity and culture through audiovisual mediums – all while holding down a nine-to-five day job at Vobile. We talk to her about trusting the process and tuning into your own frequency when there’s no set track to follow.

What I do

How would you describe what you do?
I am a multimedia artist, researcher and radio producer who works at the intersection of design, technology and storytelling. My creative practice emerges from my roots in Ürümqi, and has been shaped by my experiences of navigating different cultural and social structures.

I’m intrigued by media as a tool for poetic reclamation and visibility – whether through sound, curation, or digital production – and I’m ever in the process of building those creative infrastructures. For example, I created gtalks! radio, an interview-based audio project, where artists, technologists and community builders can speak about their work in more personal and non-linear ways.

Gulnihal at the Dublab workspace

What are the main influences and inspirations behind your work?
Growing up in Ürümqi shaped my sensitivity to what people hold onto and pass down: I’m drawn to nostalgic memories and largely inspired by diasporic experiences. To me, creative work is a medium for both personal and communal archiving.

Til (Tongue) Video Archive, Python, Website Design, Research (2023 - ongoing)

I’ve also been fortunate to find mentors from both academic and creative spaces who make me feel seen and embody what is possible. They encourage me to dream big and take action – to see creative practice not just as expression but as a way of intentional world-building. Those powerful affirmations are what made it possible for me to aim high.

Would you say you need any specific training for what you do?
Not necessarily in a traditional sense – much of my practice has been informed by experience, collaboration and mentorship. That said, certain foundational studies did give me the language and structure to understand and articulate my creative direction.

My liberal arts education introduced me to critical media studies and art history, which strengthened my critical thinking and research skills. Traditional design school then gave me the tools to translate that into a creative practice. As someone who was initially more comfortable in research settings, learning new tools and creative software felt intimidating. But working through that discomfort is an important part of the process – because growth often comes from patience, curiosity and trusting yourself.

What’s been your favorite project to work on from the past year, and why?
One of my favorite ongoing projects has been “What Is Your Name?”, a web-based narrative design project that explores the dynamics of digital identity and self-reclamation online. I started doing research for it during previous trips home to China, but developed a more intentional design system and storytelling framework this year. I also presented my talk at DEMO2025: Art & Code Track Talks, which is an annual festival celebrating emerging ideas in art, design and technology that’s hosted by NEW INC – the New Museum of Contemporary Art’s incubator. I’m really excited to share it with a wider audience and continue exploring what’s next.

What does a normal day-to-day usually look like for you?
A typical day blends structured responsibilities with creative exploration. As a recent international graduate, staying eligible for employment shapes how I navigate my career and means that I have to balance a full-time job with my independent practice.

I currently work as a marketing associate at Vobile, a company that specializes in digital content protection, where my day-to-day includes project management and design work. In parallel, I continue to grow gtalks! radio.

Every day is different, but my schedule generally alternates between meetings, production work, research and ideation. While the pace can be demanding, I find balance through community, grounding practices and staying close to impactful and creatively fulfilling work that energizes me.

If there was a starter pack for your job, what would be in it?

How I got here

What was your journey like when you were first starting out?
I never thought I would become a creative, especially because choosing a creative path was not encouraged when I was growing up. But my perspective began to shift when I studied critical media in college and produced a video installation for my thesis. It was the first time I truly felt that creative work could hold space for the questions I was – and still am – navigating.

Radio was also an important part of my early practice. Growing up, I always imagined myself on 97.4 FM or 100.7 FM – I even called in to sing once when I was 12 years old. When I started doing radio in college, it gave me the platform to explore ideas, have creative ownership over them and build a community. My semester abroad in Korea also opened my eyes to the differences in broadcasting across different cultures.

Along with a gem of a friend who saw the spark I had for media, these experiences led me to shift my direction. I had to work through doubt and shame, but my creative journey truly began when I allowed myself to follow what I was drawn to. Growing up, there was comfort in holding on to more traditional ideas of success, but my comfort now lies in the unknown.

How did you go about landing your first few jobs, clients and/or commissions
Reaching out! I landed my first radio residency through contacting people on LinkedIn and meeting a supportive group at dublab – an internet radio station – who gave me the opportunity.

Reaching out is also what led me to get my current role at Vobile. I initially joined as a market research intern for the summer, but towards the end of my contract, I asked if I could continue the role remotely. It helped me deepen my work with them and evolved into the role I have today.

What has been your biggest challenge along the way?
Overcoming self-doubt and trusting the timing of my own path. Being multidisciplinary can feel both empowering and overwhelming – it gives me the tools to create in many ways, but sometimes makes me question which direction or skill I should commit to more deeply. Over time, I’ve realized that clarity comes through action. Working on projects and collaborating with others has been guiding me to grow through doing.

Work environment radio edition - NEW INC Office w/ Secret Riso Club ft. Gonzalo Guerrero and Tara Ridgedell

What skills from your creative work have you found helpful – and vice versa?
Trusting my intuition has taught me to be open to exploration and pushed me to move further with creative projects. In return, the process of creating has helped me build the confidence to reach out to others, communicate more clearly and follow through on execution without needing things to be perfect. It’s shown me that momentum often comes from starting – a clearer picture emerges with time and the process itself is the most precious part.

How important are social media and self-promotion to your work?
I’ve yet to fully explore self-promotion, but I’ve started to be more intentional about what I share and how I share it. For me, social media is a space to reflect on my projects and process – not just present outcomes. It’s also a tool for me to build on things that align with my personal practice, like developing gtalks! radio. That’s been a rewarding process as it’s allowed me to explore storytelling and creative communication through a different lens.

What are three things that you’ve found useful to your work or career, and why?

What have been your greatest learnings with making money and supporting yourself as a creative?
Accepting that financial stability doesn’t have to come from your personal practice – it can come from a different source, like your day job. At the same time, the two don’t have to contradict each other. If it works for you, they can coexist. I’m still navigating this balance but I find all aspects of my work fulfilling – whether they’re tied to income or to personal expression – and I continue to trust that the path will take shape as I grow.

My Advice

What’s the best career-related advice you’ve ever received?
You don’t need a mentor to guide you in order to create a path for yourself. While it’s important to have examples that show you what’s possible, discovering the path on your own can be just as rewarding.

I’m lucky to have had mentors who saw me, encouraged me and opened new doors for me. But mentorship can come in many forms: through conversations, mutual support, shared experiences.

So don’t limit your potential just because you don’t see someone like you doing what you’re doing. You can become the image you want to see – and you probably already are.

What advice would you give to someone looking to get into a similar role?
Be open to trying different mediums, learning new tools and taking on things you didn’t think you could do. Execute ideas even if they’re not perfect and put yourself out there, even when it feels uncertain. Let the process teach you. You don’t need to figure it all out before you begin – trust that you’ll be able to chart your own path and be okay with uncertainty.

Where do you go to feel connected as a creative?
In the digital sphere, I follow artists, creative producers and researchers whose work expands how I approach my own practice. In person, I attend events, gallery shows, installations and DJ sets to feel connected to different communities.