Born in Harbin, 1967, passed away in 2018. Cui Xiuwen received a BA at Northeast Normal University in 1990, and an MFA from the Department of Oil Painting, Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing. As a multimedia artist investigating the realms of human sexuality and spirituality, Cui’s experimentations with photography, video, and painting are considerations of the self and soul as simultaneously subject and object. As an important creative figure in China’s contemporary art scene, Cui’s contribution to the art was recognized in her participation as the first Chinese artist to be invited to exhibit at Tate Modern. Her early works were based on her exploration of current taboos and criticism of conventions. Constantly challenging herself, Cui’s most recent body of work utilized oil on canvas as the primary medium, departing from her expert use of video and photography. These formalist new works convey Cui’s matured understanding of the world through a meditative style of geometric abstraction.

Her major solo exhibitions include: “Angel’s Light: Dame Jillian Sackler International Artists Exhibition Program” (Arthur M. Sackler Museum of Art and Archaeology At Peking University, 2016), “IU: You & Me” (Australia Chinese Contemporary Art Foundation / Suzhou Art Museum, Suzhou, 2013), “The Domain of God” (Today Art Museum, Beijing, 2010), as well as international group exhibitions, “The Thirteen: Chinese Video Now” (MoMA PS1, New York, NY, 2006), “Untitled: Julia Loktev, Julika Rudelius, Cui Xiuwen” (Tate Modern, London, UK, 2004), and “Alors, la Chine?” (Centre Pompidou, Paris, France, 2003).