Art History and its culture, the contemporary art world, and the marketplace stand at the center of my world. Much of my childhood and adolescence was dedicated to sports, and I rose to briefly occupy the spot of number 2 female table tennis player in all of China. But my world is Art. An avid student of Art at home in China, I left at 18 to discover the Art of North America in Canada and the USA. My central dream is to be selected to earn my MA Degree in Culture, Criticism, and Curation from the University of XXXX, my dream school. First appreciating the art of Asia, I have spent seven years studying art in North America and now want to focus on European Art.
I volunteered with Nuit Blanche in Toronto, serving as a tour guide for art projects, and I relished seeing Toronto transformed by hundreds of Canadian and international artists and visitors. I also helped with an art project called “Literature vs. Traffic,” doing interventions in public spaces using light as raw material and darkness as an artistic canvas. With only one online course to go to complete my BA Degree in Media, Performance, and Design from the School of the Arts at XXXX University in Canada, I relocated to the University to begin studying toward a Certificate in Art and Creative Process. I look at art and its history in school and constantly on my own: documentaries, books, museums – Metropolitan, Guggenheim, LA County – never missing a nearby exhibition or art auction. I also started my social group dedicated to collecting and discussing works of art, and I am especially pleased to have several curators in the group.
As an international student, I came to Canada by myself. I did not know what major to choose but after one year decided on Visual Art. My English was not good enough, and I felt frustrated. I was left behind and started wondering what I should do in the future. I got lost, and at the same time, my grandfather passed away. I returned to China for a year before graduating; I worked at an interior design company. In the meantime, I used my spare time to visit galleries (Gagosian, Hauser & Wirth, Massimo De Carlo, Pace Gallery, etc.) in Hong Kong and mainland China. I am addicted to art history and contemporary art; I found my way. I started to study art history intensively. I go to exhibitions, take notes, talk to contemporary artists, and pay attention to the art market. After talking to many Chinese contemporary artists and curators, I learned a lot and figured out I had to go back to school. I want to catch up on what I have left behind.
I am a Chinese woman whose first love is Art. Nothing excites me as much as Art and the learning process – especially about Art. Now twenty-four, however, Art has not always been the dominant force in my life. Instead, I gave most of my energy and youth to sports, especially table tennis, which I have played since six, the same year I began learning English intensively. After completing all my classes except one online class, I moved to the USA last September. I see the United States as the heart of contemporary art and after arriving I signed up for the Art and Creative Process Certificate at UC XXXX, where I studied painting, drawing, creative process, and art history I earned a grade of 'A' for all my classes.
I have now studied art in America for 7 years, painting, sculpting, and photography. We have critique sessions in every studio class; I know how to appreciate and evaluate artwork. I always followed up on the latest art news in China and the Western world. In the meantime, I have been to many contemporary galleries and art fairs worldwide, cared for and watched art auctions, and know many contemporary artists. I was an art major, and I am obsessed with art history. Art has traced many of the sociological changes that have occurred throughout history, all through the eyes of real people. I love to travel; I go to museums and galleries everywhere I have been. I love reading; I read to myself at least 1 hour a day. I love sports and music. I go to the gym four times a week and keep myself fit and healthy. I have friends of different ages, careers, and ethnicities.
I started to live independently when I was eighteen. I have my schedule, and I always follow it. I have a sharp sense of humor. I am good at dealing with pressure from work and daily life, attentive to detail, I can prioritize quickly and effectively to meet deadlines. Trustworthy and discreet with the maturity to work well independently and in a team environment, I am highly motivated and confident, able to quickly adapt, and have an insatiable thirst for learning about the world.
MA Art History Personal Purpose Statement