Alexandra
Yuan

Alexandra Yuan was born in 1995 in China, grew up in Canada, studied and practiced in New York and is now based in Los Angeles. Growing up in a strict Asian household, it had always been forbidden to discuss any semblance of female sexuality. Yuan is determined to dismantle the stigma behind established cultural taboos by intimately and playfully depicting the female body. Through acrylic and spray paint and oil pastel, she practices figurative expressionism. Her figures are abstract, oftentimes rendered with exaggerated bodily arches and mask-like faces. The vibrant colors, dynamic lines, textured layers and unexpected splashes and drips construct a surreal yet raw environment that allows for womanly curves to dominate the frame. Thus, the permeation of the feminine aura is furthered without the overt sexualization that often accompanies any portrayal of nude female figures. Through the intentionally nonrepresentational form, Yuan comments on the fetishization of the female by refusing to take part in the traditional representation of the female nude. Rather, she creates her own representational strategy to pioneer a new pictorial practice of the female body on her own terms. Her bodies are strong, bold, and unapologetically female.

The artist employs a playful approach in her style, utilizing vibrant colors, dynamic lines, and striking shapes to construct surreal environments. The inclusion of unplanned elements such as splashes and drips infuse the paintings with rawness. Furthermore, multiple layers are incorporated to enhance the richness and depth of the artwork.Additionally, the use of oil pastels creates a textured effect within the pieces. The artist draws inspiration from the Fauvism, Surrealism, and AbstractExpressionism movements, and is influenced by the works of esteemed artists such as Henri Matisse, Willem de Kooning, and Dali.