Can you tell us about your journey as an artist? What inspired you to pursue sculpture and painting?

I started learning painting in a more formal way when I was eight and continued as an art student in cities like Shenzhen, Beijing, and Nanjing. In 2016, I got into the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, where I was introduced to contemporary art and learned craft techniques like lacquer painting, glass lampworking, and woodworking. Later, in 2021, I moved to London to study for a master’s in Fine Arts at UAL Central Saint Martins. That’s when I started focusing on themes like feminism, regional culture, and self-identity in my work.

A lot of my inspiration comes from my upbringing and cultural background. I draw on Chinese regional culture—things like architecture, traditions, and values—to explore how small communities reflect bigger social patterns. This perspective shapes the stories I tell through my art.

In your bio, you mention that your practice explores themes of feminism and self-identity. How do these themes manifest in your art, and what motivated you to dedicate your practice to this exploration?

Many of my sculptures are inspired by stories of women’s lives in specific cultural settings. These pieces explore family relationships, spiritual traditions, and inherited values. I often use organic materials, soft colors, and the image of a spider, which symbolizes femininity. I see myself as both an observer and a participant in these stories. This dual perspective helps me think about where I come from and where I’m going, especially as I adapt to new environments. I’m also fascinated by the reasons behind people’s behaviors and personalities, which keeps me curious about my own roots and drives me to express them through my art.

You have a peculiar way of gathering information and inspiration- fieldwork and interviews. Can you share an example of how this approach has shaped a specific piece?

A lot of my work is inspired by stories from my hometown, and fieldwork has been really important for capturing the details I need. It’s almost like an artist residency where I can immerse myself in the environment and gather information quickly. Interviews are also a big part of my process because they give me direct, sometimes unexpected insights.

For example, my piece Best Wishes features a spider carrying three pieces of gold jewelry. This idea came from a conversation with my great-aunt, who told me about a Hakka tradition where families often prepare three pieces of gold as a bride price. This shows how much the groom values the bride. Another part of the tradition involves giving aprons to brides, symbolizing a wish for many children, because the Chinese words for “group” and “bride” sound the same. In the sculpture, the spider carries a string of eggs, tying all these cultural elements together into one story.

Your background in traditional craft techniques is quite diverse. How do these techniques inform your current artistic practice and the often unconventional materials such as felt, glass, and iron you choose to work with?

Learning traditional craftsmanship has taught me that it’s not just about preserving techniques but also about finding new ways to use them. This is why I enjoy experimenting with different materials, focusing on their color, texture, and how they work together. I want the materials to feel like they belong naturally, like plants growing together, rather than being forced into place.

For example, felt is a material I really like right now. It softens the look of harder materials like iron and wood, creating a nice balance. At the same time, felt is strong and durable, which matches the ideas of gentleness and resilience that I often explore in my work.

In what ways do you think your cultural background from Guangdong, China, influences your artistic perspective and the stories you tell through your art?

Growing up in Guangdong, a region at the center of China’s reform and rapid development, has had a big impact on how I see things. The city’s fast-paced growth shaped my aesthetics and gave me a lot to think about. Documenting my family’s experiences is one way I reflect on how society has changed over time.

My approach to work is quite disciplined, which I think comes from the traditional Asian way of learning. At the same time, growing up in such a young and modern city taught me to be open to new ideas. My work reflects this balance—there’s a traditional logic behind it, but you can also see bold, playful, or even rebellious elements in the design and details.

Your description of your work as presenting ideas more abstractly and softly intrigues me. Can you expound on what that approach means to you, and how you achieve that distinctive style in your pieces?

For me, the most important thing is not that people immediately understand the story behind a piece but that they feel something—an emotion or atmosphere. While my work often has a deeper story, I try to share it in a way that feels unique and visually interesting.

I use a lot of geometric shapes in my work. Most of them are inspired by traditional architecture or nature. I think nature has a timeless connection to modern life, and regional cultures are like that too—they adapt and change while keeping their core meaning. This is how I create pieces that feel abstract but still connected to something real, inviting people to connect emotionally first and then explore the details.

What can you tell us about the submitted artwork called “Sweet Home”? Can you delve into the creative process behind it and the material used?

Drawing inspiration from my personal experiences, Sweet Home depicts the life of a large Hakka family and the important role women play in it. It embodies family beliefs and bloodline inheritance. The sculptures are inspired by the architectural layout of a four-generation house, with different generations of family members living on each floor. The sculptures are symmetrically encircled to form a symbolic enclosure, representing the core of family bonds and unity. The structure of the work is built from cement and iron. Felt and fabric are spiritual symbols that are softer and more resilient, weaving in and around the solid structure. I experimented a lot with the materials, fusing paper and felt to turn the molds and create precise but hollow shapes.

How do you see the relationship between themes of tradition and identity with broader environmental and cultural contexts?

I think traditions profoundly shape cultural environments, and there are universal connections between them. While the specifics of life and customs differ across countries and cultures, I’ve noticed that many phenomena in my home country also exist elsewhere, just in different forms. Exploring these similarities and differences helps me better understand both my identity and the broader cultural landscape.

What challenges have you faced as a young artist navigating the art scene in both London and China? How have these experiences shaped your work?

The art scenes in China and the UK are quite different. In China, my studies were more focused on technical skills and creating cohesive works. In the UK, the emphasis shifted to self-expression and conceptual thinking. This reflects both the differences in artistic environments and my personal growth as an artist. I’ve chosen to stay in London for the next three to five years because its vibrant culture and mature art market inspire me to push my boundaries. However, the competition here is also intense, which challenges me to grow and adapt. Living independently outside my comfort zone, away from family support, has been tough but incredibly rewarding. These experiences have broadened my perspective and deepened my artistic practice.

Art plays various roles in the fabric of contemporary society. How do you see your role in fostering environmental awareness through your art?

Art has a powerful ability to communicate and provoke thought, and I believe artists have a responsibility to address social and environmental issues. In my 2021 work The Long Fade, I used recycled ice and watercolor to highlight the impact of global warming and the threat it poses to wildlife. Moving forward, I plan to continue using my art as a platform to bring attention to these critical issues.

What message or call to action would you like to leave our readers with?

Every small act of perseverance is worth celebrating. For me, creating art is a lifelong journey. Even if I pursue work outside the art world in the future, it won’t change my original intention or passion for creativity. I encourage readers to embrace life fully—don’t ignore your emotions, whether good or bad, and always have the courage to make bold choices.

Find more about the artist here.

Cover Image:

Pillar(Sweet Home) by Haige Wu. Image courtesy of Haige Wu.