As part of a Chinese-born diasporic community living and working in South Africa, I function as an artist in both China and South Africa. Over the past 21 years working and exhibiting in South Africa, I have gradually become part of the contemporary art scene in both regions, with public exposure at both local and international levels. This dual exposure to two different geographic and cultural realms benefits my work in many ways. Over time, I have come to realise the extent to which I can create a greater awareness and connection between peoples of other cultures and places. The impact of South Africa and local art practice on my work has been extensive, and this, together with a personal autoethnographic narrative, permeates it.

Born and raised in mainland China, I have lived in South Africa since 1999. In 2001, I moved to Pietermaritzburg to study for a postgraduate diploma at the University of Natal (now known as the University of KwaZulu-Natal). It was there that I later did my Master's in Fine Art, and I am currently completing a practice-based PhD in Visual Arts at that university. My family background has always been associated with art. My maternal grandfather was a traditional Chinese literati painter and my father is an oil painter. Both were professionally trained: my grandfather studied at Jinghua Art School in Beijing, and my father graduated from Shandong University of Arts. My grandfather lived primarily during the turbulent Republic of China era (1912–1949), while my father lived through the Maoist era (1949–1976), including the Cultural Revolution.

I underwent rigorous training at the Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing, and the skills I acquired there form the foundation of my work. My current inspiration is drawn from my life experiences and interests. When I arrived in South Africa, I was excited by the strange faces I saw around me and I created a number of large-scale charcoal drawings that included portraits and figure studies.

REPRESENTING DIFFERENCE

While I have been warmly embraced in South Africa, I have also been subject to a certain amount of critical scrutiny, given my cultural difference and my country of origin, especially due to prevailing perspectives on China's presence in South Africa. Being a Chinese woman, I am often subjected to questions that both alarm and bewilder me. Many arise from South African stereotypical views of Chinese culture and practice.