A Dynamic Conversation with Cui Fei
Courtesy of artist
Cui Fei is a Chinese visual artist based in New York. Cui’s work has been exhibited nationally and internationally at venues such as the Museum of Arts and Design, New York, NY; Princeton University Art Museum, Princeton, NJ; Museum of Chinese in American, NY; Queens Museum, Queens, NY, Delaware Art Museum, Wilmington, DE; Art Complex Museum, Duxbury, MA; New Britain Museum of American Art, New Britain, CT; Wave Hill, Bronx, NY; and Bronx Museum of Arts; Kunstgewerbe Museum, Dresden, Germany; Rietberg Museum Zurich, Switzerland; and Museum of East Asian Art in Cologne, Germany, among others.
She is a recipient of the Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant, the Artist’s Fellowship from the New York Foundation for the Art, Emerging Artist Fellowship from Socrates Sculpture Park, SIP fellowship from the Robert Blackburn Printmaking Workshop, Artist-in-Residence Workspace Grant from The Center for Book Arts, and the Excellence in Arts Award from Bronx Council on the Arts. She was selected for the Art Omi International Artists Residency, the Artist-in-Residence Program at Light Work, the Emerge Program, Aljira & Creative Capital, Newark, and the AIM program at the Bronx Museum of the Arts. Her work is included in the permanent collections of the Princeton University Art Museum; The Tang Center for East Asian Art at Princeton University, Light Work at Syracuse, and Stony Brook University. I had the pleasure and honor to ask Cui about how she taps into her surroundings to enhance your creative process, how she uses art to express similarities in cultures, how she uses art to represent her heritage, and so much more.
UZOMAH: How big of a role is nature in your artistic process?
FEI: Nature has always played a significant role in my work. It provided the inspiration and subject matter for my early paintings. During my graduate studies in the US, I realized my understanding of nature and our relation to it was different from that of my American classmates. That difference caught my attention and led me to trace the philosophical roots in my Chinese heritage. My interests then shifted from the image of nature to the ancient Chinese concept of nature, motivating me to create new bodies of work. Nature is also the source of materials for my work—I often use dried, discarded natural materials directly in my projects. Nature continually inspires me and is indispensable for my creative process.
U: How do you tap into your surroundings to enhance your creative process?
F: I am always curious about my surroundings. Whether walking on the city streets or hiking in the woods, I often pick up fallen seeds, pods, or other objects that I found interesting. Those materials would be brought to my studio for further study and possible use in later work. All the natural materials used in my work were discovered on those walks.
“Read by Touch,” Thorns on rice paper, each page 9 1/4" x 10 3/4", total 11 pages, 2005-2006 Photo Credit: Zheng Lianjie
U: How can the use of certain colors bring out themes that are not addressed or represented?
F: When using natural materials, I leave them as found. I keep my approach minimal and let the selected materials express themselves in form and color.
U: How can the arts help change how Chinese and Asians are depicted in Western parts of the world?
F: Through their work, artists can share their ways of seeing, offering different perceptions, and challenging stereotypes.
“Manuscript of Nature V,” tendrils, pins, dimensions, variable 2002-present Photo credit: Chambers Fine Art
U: Has there ever been for you a work of literature or a musical composition that has been as inspiring and impactful as a visual work of art?
F: The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera.
U: How do you use art to express similarities in cultures?
F: After I moved to the US, I realized that despite speaking different languages, coming from different countries, and belonging to different races, we can discover commonalities if we probe deeply enough underneath these superficial differences. Emphasizing the convergent rather than the divergent has played a very important role in my work. My work focuses on the general issues faced by all humanity.
“Manuscript of Nature I,” Mixed media on panel, 96" x 48", 1999
U: How is art a representation of your heritage? How do you use art to explore and explain Asian culture?
F: Making art has been a process for me to look outside to understand the world and to look inside to better understand the self. During this journey of discovery, I became aware of my Chinese heritage and its influence on how I view the world. I never intended to use my work to explain Asian Culture.
U: As an artist, what artwork or artist for you has been most memorable?
F: Anselm Keifer.
“Tracing the Origins XVII,” bronze castings (unique), 96”X72”X78”,2012 Commissioned by Socrates Sculpture Park, New York
U: What exhibit have you done that speaks the best as to the artistic statement you wish to convey and why?
F: My ideas and work have developed over the years and are continually evolving. I have had some very satisfying exhibitions that reflected different stages of progress. Perhaps a retrospective later in life could best represent the range of an artist's ideas.
U: What has been the greatest joy you have found in becoming an artist?
F: I find great joy when making art. Sometimes the process is very difficult and challenging, especially when using unfamiliar techniques and/or making something I have never made before, but it also brings out the deepest fulfillment.
You can find more information about Fei’s amazing artwork on her site.
