Haige Wu is a dynamic artist, photographer, and illustrator whose work bridges the cultural landscapes of China and London. Born in Guangdong, China, in 1998, Haige has cultivated a deeply personal and innovative practice that spans sculpture, painting, and mixed media. Her art, often rooted in themes of feminism, regional culture, and self-identity, transforms her research and fieldwork into evocative, abstract storylines. Through incorporating traditional craft techniques such as lacquer painting, woodworking, and glass art, Haige infuses her work with both historical depth and contemporary relevance. Her creative use of materials and storytelling invites viewers into a world where personal experience intertwines with wider socio-cultural dialogues.
A graduate of the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts and Central Saint Martins, Haige’s academic path has led to her multidisciplinary approach. Her artistic achievements have been showcased in an impressive array of exhibitions, from international glass art festivals in China to curated shows at Tate Modern and other prominent galleries in London. Highlights of her career include her shortlisted work for the Holt Festival Art Prize and her participation in exhibitions such as Seeing Red at Chapel Art Studio, and There Is No Time Like Springs at Huang Contemporary. Through her diverse work, Haige Wu continues to challenge artistic rethinking en route to tackling multifaceted social-cultural themes.
Home Series
Haige Wu’s Home series is a compelling probe of familial ties, cultural heritage, and the evolving relationship amidst tradition and contemporaneity. At the heart of this series are the Flags, a collection of flame-like sculptures adorned with snazzy paper cutouts of dragons and tigers. Drawing from the symbolism of Chinese Feng Shui, the dragon and tiger traditionally represent blessings of happiness and prosperity for the family. Wu reimagines these symbols in a profoundly personal way, with the dragon representing her mother’s non-Hakka identity and the tiger embodying her sign and the strength of younger generations. These two mythical creatures, positioned in balance, act as protectors of the “home” while hinting at the inherent tension between safeguarding convention and propelling boundaries.
The dynamic forms of the flag sculptures evoke the energy of flames, suggesting both a protective warmth and the potential for destruction. This duality echoes Wu’s questioning of the family as both a source of stability and a site of transformation. The building they guard symbolizes the family structure, yet it also embodies a resistance to its constraints. Through this, Wu captures the intricate interplay between the weight of tradition and the yearning for individual agency—traditional paper cutouts further anchor the work in cultural heritage. At the same time, the abstract, modern forms highlight the cultural shifts brought about by globalization and the influence of the younger generation.
In the Home series, Wu masterfully blends personal narrative with universal themes. Her sculptures meditate on identity, generational transitions, and generational evolution. By intertwining her family’s story into the wider cultural symbology, she creates a dialogue between the past and the present, the traditional and the contemporary. The series reflects the power of new-age youth to challenge inherited structures while still honouring the cultural foundations upon which they stand. Haige Wu’s work is a vivid, thought-provoking testament to the fluidity of identity and the ever-changing landscape of familial and cultural bonds.
The post Igniting Cultural Conversations: The Art of Haige Wu appeared first on Our Culture.
