Interview with Yu Kuei 2024 (English Ver.)

We’re excited to share this follow-up interview with Yu Kuei. Our first conversation with them took place in 2022, and now, two years later, we’ve had the privilege of reconnecting. This second interview delves deeper into their evolving journey, showcasing how their art and perspective have grown over time.

If you missed our first interview with Yu Kuei, please take a look at it here. It offers a wonderful introduction to their creative world and artistic vision.

Q. Over the past two years, have there been any changes in your artistic approach or style? What influenced those changes? A. During these times, my life has changed a lot, not only my career and routine living style, I also met another soul who gave me resourceful companionship, mental support and most of all a fulfilled loving heart. These give me enormous serenity and happiness and lead me into another artistic style which transforms to more figural, less emotion and hate, and much more love for the others than myself.

Q. Over the past two years, in your recent exhibitions or social media posts, have you received any audience reactions or feedback about your work that stood out to you? A. It is amazing that I can feel much love from my audience’s feedback, because they could also feel the love I’ve experienced in my life. This love is different from my previous works, now it is brighter, happier and more peaceful. 

Q. Do the sources of inspiration you mentioned before still hold true, or have you found new inspirations in your work? A. The sources of inspiration have changed during these times. As I mentioned earlier, it seems that my inspiration became everything that I see in my life, instead of abstract emotional expression, I prefer now to focus more on my environment and people who I care for. Q. Have there been any changes in your methods or tools? How do you see the impact of technological advancements on your work? A. I started to learn to paint figural such as objects, nature, people or animals. And I also started to try different materials like colored pencils or pastels. As I used to use acrylic to do abstract art in the past, now I appreciate more oil to do both abstract and figural. And this allowed me to explore more ways to express my emotions in paintings. Q. Over the past two years, has there been a change in the message of your work, or has it remained the same? What emotions do you hope the audience will experience through your pieces? A. As I traveled a lot during these times, I appreciate more different cultures while capturing different views. Then I put them on the canvas to remember the feelings at the actual moments. I hope the audiences could also travel with my paintings and to feel how I felt at the specific places/times.

Q. Looking back over the past two years, what do you feel you have grown the most in as an artist? How has that growth influenced your current work?

A. I don’t say that I’ve grown as an artist, I can only say that I’ve changed my perspective and focused more into details. I have also learned more about colors and how to use various media. Doing realistic painting is never my pursuit but I only try to reveal what I’ve seen in my life with my own eyes. Q. Have you experienced any interesting elements or discoveries by chance during your work? How have those experiences impacted your pieces? A. Harmony, tranquility and satisfaction. I have more of those moments during my painting process, and these moments can give me more patience, tolerance and peace while making my own art.

Contact
Artist : Yu Kuei
Instagram : @ceu.varanda