Yu Fengli, born in 1981 in North East China, started painting at 3, won her first major art award at age 13, a second at age 14, and with yet another gold award the following year in a major Chinese-Japanese youth competition, Yu was well and truly on her way.

Enrolled at the highly prestigious China Central Academy for Fine Arts, she explored the details of classic portraiture by the European old masters, but was also drawn to impressionism and neo-expressionism. Ultimately, she has evolved into a young painter incredibly skilled in blending a contemporary feeling with classical painting techniques.

Yet, Yu goes further. Beyong the technical skills she displays, there is a deeply curious young woman at work, interested in unveiling the complex human psyche of her chosen models. On canvas the setting is purposely simplistic, the models sexy and alluring. Yet the real focus of each work, beyond each almost hypnotic gaze, is the intricate emotion, the reality beyond our initial perceptions that give these works their extraordinary power.

Image: © Yu Fengli, Arch Angel Art Gallery