About Us

Artist Statement

Taking inspiration from the tradition of western portrait painting, Xue Xi, the Chinese birth name moniker of Alice Xue, is inspired by religious art, old Hollywood films, and portrait photographers from the 20th century. Painters like Vladimir Tretchikoff, Tamara de Lempicka, and Frida Khalo are also major influences.

From the Asian artistic traditions, Alice is inspired by the colour palettes of Chinese ancestral portrait paintings, aesthetics of Old Shanghai, and Hong Kong auteur cinema. She also greatly admires the painter Giuseppe Castiglione, who lived in China in the 16th century and worked as a court painter under three Emperors.

“My work is about the face, beauty, individualism and freedom. I’ve always been drawn to the concept of portraiture. With paint, one can create strokes of shadows and lightness, and a likeness can emerge. In trying to capture the unique essence of a person, portraits transport the gaze across time and spaces, connecting humans to one another.”

You can also find her photography work here: https://www.alicexue.com/