Sarah Tse
Artist: Sarah Tse
Nationality: Hong Kong, China
Instagram: Sarah Tse (@sarahtse) • Instagram photos and videos
Art inspiration: My recent practice focuses on butterfly and female emotions. My obsession with butterflies is deeply rooted with my self growth whilst navigating through the journey of life. A butterfly’s life is born out of struggles and determination which is so beautiful. It is the shortest phase of their life, but it holds the greatest importance. In my practice, butterflies symbolize transformation, rebirth, freedom and passion. Butterflies and women are interconnected in my work. I hope women including myself will live like a butterfly - elegant, fearless, confident, and free.
I have been constantly moving from cities to cities my whole life, from London to New York, Paris, Tokyo, Taipei, Zurich and Shanghai. During my travels I met so many inspiring women from all over the world. Sometimes we are vulnerable, sometimes we are sexy, sometimes we are elegant, sometimes we are resilient, all growing from our beautiful emotions. We are all on our journey and we undergo metamorphosis in different stage of our lives. Within my canvas, I want to create this fearless and passionate butterfly to remind my audience how empowering metamorphosis can be.
Style: I work with mixed media combining abstract and realistic style. My works address the theme of portraiture, personal identity, notion of beauty and power.
Achievements:
Selected Commercial Collaboration
2009- Black Rabbit’s Album Design (UK)
2011 - Crocodile (Hong Kong)
2013 - Hitoto Yo’s Album Design (Japan)
2016- Brooklyn Kava Cafe Mural Design (US)
2022- Cartier (Hong Kong)
Publications:
2010 - 人も物も、 すべてゆかしき、 奇妙な驚きの物語り (Japan)
2012- Shanghai and its Talisman (China)
2014 - 台南細語 (Taiwan)
2019- 10 Years And Still Counting.... Sarah Tse’s 10th aniversary Art Collection (China)
Favourite Artists: Kiki Smith, Wangechi Mutu, 蔡國強, Gerhard Ricter
Favourite piece you have worked on: Flying Solo 2024, 120x80cm, mixed media on canvas.
After painting so many animals and female portraits, I am exploring to combine both and create a signature symbol of myself, butterfly would best to represent me. Butterflies evokes the qualities of freedom, earthly beauty, transformation and rebirth.
Now looking back my life, I felt like a caterpillar during my 15 years stay in London & NYC. I was too naive and dumb to really understand what I want in life and how to achieve. In 2017 | moved to Shanghai to open a pancake cafe and later expanded into a big brunch restaurant, I experienced COVID, fire, flooding, food poisoning, mafia, staff accidents, numerous customer complaints, competitions but didn't have a split second thinking I would give up. Until 2022 Shanghai lockdown put paid to that venture, I was also too stressed to continue in f&b industry. That arduous period taught me how to be very tough, hardworking and persistent. It was the pupa period, I underwent complete metamorphosis to emerge as a butterfly. Now I always remind myself 'Live like a butterfly' - be elegant, free, confident just like a butterfly.
I titled this piece 'Flying Solo, she spreads her wings and flies to her dream, she radiates an aura of self love and keeps shining. There are 6 other butterflies inside her, those are the different stages of her in the past. She carries all of them and sets off on her solo journey. I was Iliterally painted this with my tears because I started out ugly and awkward, but eventually morphed into a graceful butterfly. Now I am fearless.
Exhibitions: Sarah’s exhibitions began in 2009 Affordable Art Fair IN London, UK. Since then, she has racked up countless exhibitions. Here is a recent list of shows
2023
Untold stories- A Printmaking Show (Solo) 1-30 Aug 2023, Hotel Stage, Hong Kong
Affordable Art Fair, 18-21 May 2023, HKCEE, Hong Kong
2022
ART3F LUXEMBOURG – International Contemporary Art Fair, 16-18 Sep 2022, LUXEXPO, Luxembourg
Affordable Art Fair, 4-7 Aug 2022, HKCEE, Hong Kong
2021
50X50 New Born - Fashion Zoo Brand Opening, 1-4 April 2021, HKRI Taikoo Hui, Shanghai, China
2020
The Extraordinary Exhibition, 9-23 Nov 2020, Tai Kwun Hong Kong
2019
Jing Art Beijing, 30 May-2 June 2019, Beijing Exhibition Center, Beijing, China
Dream Collector (Solo), 5 Dec 2019- 5 Jan 2020, 會空間, Beijing, China
2018
Affordable Art Fair, 18-20 May 2018, HKCEE, Hong Kong
2017
Art Next Expo (Solo), 6-9 October 2017, PMQ, Hong Kong
Superfine Art Fair, 4-7 May 2017, 459 W 14th St, New York, USA
Affordable Art Fair, 6-9 April 2017, F1 Pit Building, Singapore
Louder Than Words, 28 January-16 February 2017, 121 Varick Street, Tribeca, New York, USA
Art Sanya Beach, 12-15 January 2017, The St. Regis Sanya Yalong Bay Resort, China
2016
Printfest by IPCNY, 3-5 November 2016, 524 W26th street, Chelsea, New York, USA
2016 ASYAAF, 19 July-14 August 2016, DDF Seoul, South Korea
Tokyo Art Fair, (solo) 13-14 May 2016 Omotesando Hills, Tokyo, Japan
Affordable Art Fair, 12-15 May 2016, HKCEE, Hong Kong
Finding Utopia (curated by Sarah Tse), 22 March - 30 April 2016, Artify Gallery, Hong Kong
Not all Contemporary Art is Rubbish! The Ingram Collection, 2 February-10 April 2016, The Lightbox, Surrey, UK
Discovery and Illusion: Between Art and Fashion, 28 January-28 February, National Academy, New York, USA
Asia Contemporary Art Show, 21-24 January 2016, Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre, Singapore
2015
Affordable Art Fair, 11-13 September, 2015 DDP, Seoul, South Korea
Reverie (Three person show) 20 May–15 July 2015 Artify Gallery, Hong Kong
Creative Mischief, 15-21 May 2015, National Academy Museum , New York, USA
Scope Art Fair, 5-8 March 2015, Metropolitan Pavilion , New York, USA
2014
Asia Contemporary Art Show, 2-5 October 2014, Conrad Hotel, Hong Kong
台喃細語 Touching Tainan, 12-31 July 2014, 吳園十八卯茶屋, Tainan Taiwan (artist in residency project and exhibition
collaboration with the Tainan Tourism Department in Taiwan)
Affordable Art Fair, 21-23 March 2014, HKCEC, Hong Kong
2013
Sojourn (Two person Show) 31 October-25 November 2013, Artify Gallery, Hong Kong
Asia Contemporary Art Show, 23-26 May 2013, JW Marriot Hotel, Hong Kong
Spring Benefit, 21 May 2013, White Box, New York, USA
Future plans: I am still in Bali making art now and two exhibitions in Hong Kong in May. Then I will be staying in Berlin this summer to make some street art. New York in September , Mexico in October and I have artist in residence in Costa Rica in November.
