Cui works in fine oil on canvas to create paintings imbued with a sublime surrealism. Frequently depicting birds, animals, and elements from the natural world, the Chinese-born artist draws inspiration from philosophy and literature, particularly parables and metaphoric storytelling.

Cui is interested in notions of the human experience and the limitations we face, particularly “unknown knowledge – that we cannot know what we don’t know”, and that the one true constant in life is that “only change cannot be changed”, a phrase that serves as a mantra both in her day-to-day life and studio practice. In her works, this manifests in the form of clouds, a regular feature in her paintings. For Cui, clouds embody the “magic of the changeable”, whether applied to our mood, environment, or philosophy, the clouds represent a reminder to remain open to change. Animals and elements from the natural world are painted with delicate gestures, and each carries with it its own symbolic context. Cui will adapt the narratives within her works from traditional eastern parables and mythologies, particularly those that explore notions of transformation within the animal kingdom, as in the Daoist classic Zhuangzi, the oldest record of the Kun Peng myth in which a fish who wishes to soar above and view the vastness of the earth transforms into a giant bird.

Cui was born and raised in Shanghai, China where she developed a strong interest in art. She graduated in 1995 from East China Normal University with Bachelor’s degree in Art Education majoring in oil painting and literature. In 2003, Cui’s family embarked on a new chapter by immigrating to New Zealand. Here, in 2005, Cui undertook a one-year visual art course at Auckland University of Technology (AUT), which she describes as an experience that brought western contemporary art into her view, and she began contextualising her work across her eastern and western experiences. Cui creates in paint, ceramic, and graphite on handmade paper and her works are held in private collections within New Zealand and abroad.