About

Contemporary art is about whispers of salvation, and Illustration is enlightenment of the soul for me.

After Auschwitz, I know that every expression of an individual is a repainting of certainty, as each expression is essentially artistic, also politic — and each expression is also an ideological intervention.

I focus on the interdisciplinary display of art and its connection between the human experience and reality, an influence of her experience with the psycho-cognitive aspects of digital art. Combining visual art, printing, conceptual art, and philosophical thinking with tangible models and installations, I approache the complexity of the real world through an artistic lens. I want to question the absurd actual ecologies of societies, ethnic groups, politics etc, through the Defamiliarization of traditional visual language systems, Śūnyatā, and the presentation of the complexity of the real world according to local conditions.

Born in China, drifting between continents, considering art as my vocation, I’m highly sensitive about the entanglement and collision between various cultures, forms and ideologies. My focus is not only on the interaction between people and environment, which can be described in buddhist terminology as “karma”, but more importantly, on the inner feelings as scenery of sentient beings. I have continuously responded to the pre-existing post-human pains: from the biologically significant homo sapiens, to the subsequent evolution of human race ̶ the cyborg. Painting — as is known to all — the so-called traditional organic tool, what’s the painting’s essence and how it reacts and revives itself when it faces to this era of Immateriality?

As well as the identity of woman. As a woman and as an artist, how can I see and recognize myself from a pile of miscellaneous prejudices, outdated dogmas, without bowing to the destin of woman as decoration and baby machines? I discusses the possibility of female liberation aside from physical and verbal acts opposing the male gaze, of whether women nowadays may find a place for their souls in the society, of whether women can escape materialization. Does soul has gender? And finally, what is soul?

Dali Wu is an artist who specializes in illustration and installation art, exploring the interdisciplinary possibilities of visual art. She is currently doing her doctoral study in the “Study and practice of the Arts” at UQAM in Canada. She completed her master degree in fine arts at the prestigious Haute école des arts du Rhin in France, and DNAP (Diplôme National d’Arts Plastiques) in art at École Nationale Supérieure d’Art of Limoges and she won the Prize of Congratulation of jury. She designed public artworks named “the Land of the Great Illusion”, “Interrupted Paradise — Dream of the Red Chamber” and “Cao Xueqin and Literature” which are permanently displayed in public space, for three stations (Wutangguangchang, Kazimen and Jimingsi) of Nanjing metro line 3 and 4 in China.

Wu approaches art from an academic and intellectual standpoint. Apart from the various international awards that she has received, she presented her art work in various exhibitions, art festivals and public spaces and have published papers in various influential art academic journals. The institutions that she has worked with include: Hunan Fine Arts Publishing House, Tsinghua University Press, Springer, hiiibrand, Tencent, Guokr, Nanjing Metro, leewiART, Disney, France ICCEAAC, France Embassy of China in Chengdu, Campus France, Kunsthalle de Mulhouse, Canada Outremont Theatre, mtl en arts, Maison de la culture de Longueuil, Artothèque of Montréal, etc. Her work has been widely collected by people and included in the publications from all over the world. She writes a column introducing international art institutions in academic monthly “Fine Arts in China”. She edits a volume entitled “On Art and Science: Tango of an eternally inseparable duo", published in Springer, The frontiers collection, 2019, to study the interrelationship between art and science.

Academic History:

2013~ University of Quebec in Montreal, PhD in study and practice of the arts
2010~2012 Haute école des arts du Rhin, Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.)
2008~2010 École Nationale Supérieure d’art de Limoges, DNAP option art, congratulations of Jury
  

Solo Exhibitions:

2020 “Écoute”, online solo exhibition, Campus France, CHINA
2019 “Vision”, Georges Laoun Opticien, Montreal, CANADA
2019 Visual Artist of 5th edition of Stella Musica Festival, Outremont Theatre, Montreal, CANADA 
2017 Nightmares, Youth Film Festival, Goethe Institut, Montreal, CANADA
2016 “Utérus pensant”, Guangdong Contemporary Art Centre (GCAC), Guangzhou, CHINA
  

Group Exhibitions:

2020

- “An Ordinary Spring”, Shanghai WuTong Art Museum, Shanghai, CHINA
 

2019

- 20th Anniversary Exhibition of Mtl Arts Festival, DBC Gallery, Montreal, CANADA
- Exhibiting artist of MTL en Arts 2019, Rue st Catherine Est, Montreal, CANADA
- Hiii Illustration Exhibition: The Winning Works of Hiii Illustration International Competition, Dream Gallery, Dalian, CHINA
- First Digital Art Festival - 15th China (Shenzhen) International Cultural Industry Fair, Huaqiangbei Road, Shenzhen, CHINA
- Quoi de Neuf, Artothèque, Montreal, CANADA
- “100 Best 2018 of Creative Quarterly”, YUI Gallery, New York, U.S.A.
 

2018

- “#Visual of Virtual Era”: The 9th New Star Art Award and Hiiibrand Poster and Hiii Illustration Exhibition, Jian Su Centre for the Performing Arts, Nanjing, CHINA
- “Follow Your Heart”: Hiii Illustration Invited Exhibition of 10 Winners, Nan Jing Fine art Museum, Nanjing, CHINA
- Invited Artist for musico-visual art performance, Jazz’Art : “Quand la musique et la peinture se rencontrent”, Umlaut Mtl, Montréal, CANADA
- “Social theater - participation and sharing”, Chongqing biennale of Young artists, Art Museum of Sichuan Fine Art Institute, Chongqing, CHINA
 

2017

- “Art - Letter Home”, Inter-Youth: International Painting Exhibition, Fine arts Museum of China Academy of Art, Hangzhou, CHINA
- “Simulacrum Living: Chinese Contemporary Art Invitational Exhibition”, Shenzhen Art Museum, Shenzhen, CHINA
- Exhibiting artist of MTL en Arts 2017, Rue st Catherine Est, Montreal, CANADA - Little Hakka International Picture Book exhibition, Shenzhen, CHINA
 

2016

- Retour en Images: annual collective exhibition of Quebecois qualified illustrators and photographers, Gora gallery, Montreal, CANADA

- The Fifth China Illustration Biennale (CIB), Guan Shanyue Art Museum, Shenzhen, CHINA
 

2015

- Shenzhen International Watercolour Biennial, Shenzhen Art Museum, Shenzhen, CHINA
- “Mutation”, Gallery of CAUE 87, Limoges, FRANCE
- “Institution production”: Ecology Investigation of Contemporary Art of Young Guangzhou Artists, Museum of fine art in Guang Dong, Guangzhou, CHINA
 

2014

- “500 Poster Cards of 50 Designer”, China Post and Zhongchou.cn, Beijing Design Week, Beijing, CHINA
- Participated artist of MTL en Arts 2014, Montreal, CANADA
 

2013

- “Monobandes III : Young Montreal Videographers”, Les Territoires Gallery, Montreal, CANADA
- X Plein Ciel International Exhibition, Galerie SYRO d’Arts, Lautenbach Zell, FRANCE
- “Double”; Invitational Engraving Exhibition, the apoG Association, University Palace of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, FRANCE
- “Drawings: Chinese students of Fine Arts”, A.A.A. School, Paris, FRANCE
- “Pépinière - 你好”, LAC & S - Lavitrine and the Association Errance, Lavitrine Gallery, Limoges, FRANCE
- “Postcards of Artists: 2012 Edition”, Goethe Institut, Lyon, FRANCE
- Léonie, Atelier Errance, Limoges, FRANCE
- Graduate Exhibition, Haute Ecole des Arts du Rhin, Strasbourg, FRANCE
 

2011

- Remise en Jeu, Regional 12, Kunsthalle of Mulhouse, Mulhouse, FRANCE 

2008

- “Exhibition of EPSAA Students for School Open Days”, EPSAA, Paris, FRANCE
 

2006

- Exhibition of the Association of Students and Alumni of Beaux-Arts de Versailles, Fine Arts School of Versailles, Versailles, FRANCE
 

2001

- Exhibiting Artist of Guangzhou Animation Cartoon Carnival (GACC), Guangzhou, CHINA
 

1999

- Exhibiting Artist of the first Guangzhou Comics Festival YACA, Guangzhou, CHINA
  

Art Awards:

2020
- Bronze Award of JIA (Japan Illustrator's Association) International Illustration Award 2020, JAPAN

2019

- Finalist of L. Ron Hubbard's Illustrators of the Future, U.S.A.

- Support from CCLBGTQ for Mtl en Arts 2019, Montreal, CANADA


2018

-  Painting “It Is Always Difficult To Ask Their Souls To Stay Behind” is selected as one of Best 100 art works, Creative Quarterly, New York, U.S.A.

-  Creative Quarterly 54, fine art show runner-up

-  Nominee of 7e “salon de photography” of RankArt
 

2017

- Creative Quarterly 49, Fine art Show Winner
- The Best Artwork Award, MTL EN ARTS 2017, Montreal, Canada
 

2016

-  Photography Series “Enlightenment” and Installation Art "My pimples” are selected as Best 100 art works, Creative Quarterly, New York, U.S.A.

-  Merit award of CIB the fifth China Illustration Biennale
 

2015

- Merit award of Hiiibrand 2015 international illustration competition
- Merit award of Hiiibrand 2015 international monochrome photography competition 
- Merit award of Shenzhen International Watercolour Biennial
- Creative Quarterly 42, photography show winner
- Creative Quarterly 42, photography runner-up
- Creative Quarterly 41, fine art show winner
- Creative Quarterly 41, fine art show runner-up
- 3x3 Illustration Show NO. 12 illustration books mention
- 3x3 Illustration Show NO. 12, science fiction illustration mention
 

2014

- Third place of VIII Wacom competition creative drawing award
 

Selective Publications:

2019

-  “On Art and Science: Tango of an eternally inseparable duo", Springer, The frontiers collection

-  One of 100 artists presented in “LeewiART Art Book of Children's Illustration” Collection, Posts & Telecommunications Press

-  “On the HIV bacteria and PSGL-1“，Hero Image of Nature Microbiology, May issue
 

2017

-  “The art practices in a post-humanist society”, Art Monthly, vol 5

-  “HEXAGRAM: Research and Creation International Network”, China Art News, first issue

-  “Iri Research and Innovation Society: Possibility and Digital Humanities”, China Art News, second issue

2016

-  One of the guest artists presented in “Illustration: Hiii international illustration collection” (Third Series), Jiangsu Phoenix Fine Arts Publishing House

-  “Artistic Borders: on the Perspective of Photography and Painting”, Art China, 2016 10th issue
 

2015

-  “Imagination of the reality: on the formation of the visual world about a sci-fi novel”, Guokr Reading, September 8

-  One of the guest artists presented in Illustration Circle - Banquet III, Liaoning Fine Arts Publishing House
 

2014

- Illustration and character design for series of sci-fi novels "Little Interstellar Partners (Xing Ji Xiao Da Dang)", Jiangsu Phoenix Literature and Art Publishing Ltd.

2013

- Illustration for series of books “Youth Security Education”, Hunan Literature & Art Publishing House
  

Activities:

2016

-  Workshop “Da peng che” with feminist activists, Shan quan drama club, Guangzhou, CHINA

-  Thematic lecture “Professional education as elite education”, Shang Hai technical college of urban management, Shanghai, CHINA

-  Thematic lecture “The path of the heart: Art as an interdisciplinary medium”, Faculty of arts and design, Guang Zhou University; the same topic, Shanghai Jian Qiao University, CHINA

-  Thematic debate “What We Talk About When We Talk About Uterus”, with a female media worker and a gender researcher at the opening of exhibition “uterus pensant”, Guangzhou, CHINA

-  Thematic lecture “Trans-image: artistic practices in post-human societies”, Shen Zhen Art Museum, Shenzhen, CHINA
  

2015

- Artist Guest of the lecture series “The lives of artists is told,” Minister of Culture of the City of Longueuil, CANADA

2014

- Conception for public art pieces of Wutangguangchang Station, Kazimen Station, Jimingsi Station of Nanjing Metro, Nanjing, CHINA

2014~
- Arts Council and illustrator of ”Economic Horizons“ press, Montreal, CANADA

2010~2016

- Illustrator of Hunan Literature & Art Publishing House, Changsha, CHINA