10 Questions with Sharon Yaoxi He
Sharon Yaoxi He is a renowned Chinese-Canadian painter based in New York City and New Jersey. She holds a Master of Fine Arts from Columbia University’s prestigious MFA program and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Emily Carr University of Art and Design in Vancouver. She has developed a distinctive visual language that bridges philosophical inquiry with painterly innovation. Her work has been widely exhibited at prominent institutions and galleries, including the Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Art Gallery, Fredric Snitzer Gallery, and the Vancouver International Art Fair. In June 2025, she is scheduled to present a duo exhibition at the Thomas Erben Gallery, a presentation that reflects the conceptual ambition and critical maturity of her work within today’s painting discourse.
Informed by philosophical inquiry and classical artistic traditions, Sharon Yaoxi He’s paintings offer a compelling reimagination of space. Rather than treating space as a fixed, measurable entity, she approaches it as a dynamic, psychological experience shaped by perception. Influenced by Immanuel Kant’s assertion that space and time are subjective frameworks of human understanding, she constructs compositions that challenge conventional visual logic, inviting viewers to navigate emotionally resonant, perceptually fluid environments.
Sharon Yaoxi He - Portrait
Rejecting the rigidity of single-point perspective rooted in Western Renaissance painting, Sharon instead employs layered viewpoints and multiple vanishing points to develop a more expansive and intuitive mode of seeing. This visual language allows the eye to travel through shifting depths and fragmented planes, evoking not a destination but a rhythmic journey. “Perspective isn’t locked into one viewpoint,” Sharon notes, drawing inspiration from ancient Chinese landscape painting, “it’s atmospheric, temporal, and layered.” This unfolding spatial logic reflects an understanding of perception as fundamentally subjective and evolving. It is not something captured in a single glance, but rather something experienced over time.
Central to this approach is the use of colour, not merely as a visual component but also as a structuring and narrative force. “Color becomes the language I use to communicate psychological and atmospheric experiences,” she explains. Byfocusing on the relationships between colours rather than predetermined forms or representational goals, their compositions emerge organically. The process is one of responsiveness rather than control, allowing form and space to be shaped by chromatic tension and emotional resonance.
This intuitive method marks a rejection of an over-determined structure in favour of openness and vulnerability. The paintings are constructed from within, shaped psychologically, perceptually, and emotionally. They are free from external reference points or imposed logic. The result is a body of work that resists categorization, functioning less as representations of space than as perceptual fields in which viewers may lose and find themselves.
By grounding their practice in both philosophical and historical frameworks while embracing abstraction and emotional immediacy, Sharon creates works that blur the boundaries between vision and sensation, thought and experience. Their paintings are not objects to be viewed from a distance but environments that unfold through the viewer’s active engagement with the ever-shifting dynamics of perception itself.
Inside a Line, acrylic and pencil on canvas, 48x72 in, 2023 © Sharon Yaoxi He
INTERVIEW
Let's start with your background. You studied in both Vancouver and New York. How did these two environments shape your development as an artist?
Studying in both Vancouver and New York shaped me in contrasting but complementary ways as an artist.
In Vancouver, I found a kind of stillness and spaciousness—both in the physical environment and in the pace of life. That space allowed me to slow down, focus inward, and build a strong foundation in painting. It was a place where I could experiment freely without any external pressure. The educational atmosphere was supportive and process-oriented, encouraging me to take my time and do whatever.
New York was a sharp contrast. It's intense, layered, and saturated with artistic activity. Being here immersed me in the art world on a daily basis—through galleries, museums, critiques, and conversations. It gave me a sense of urgency and a need to be more articulate and maybe intentional, not just in my making, but in how I present and position my work and myself. It helped me transition from being a student to seeing myself as an artist engaged in a global conversation.
Deja Vu, acrylic and pencil on canvas, 48x72 in, 2022 © Sharon Yaoxi He
Being Chinese-Canadian and now based in New York, how have your cultural and educational backgrounds influenced your artistic perspective?
Being Chinese-Canadian means I've always carried a dual awareness—moving between languages, cultural norms, and expectations. That experience of translating between different worlds made me particularly sensitive to how people interpret images, how meaning shifts depending on context, and how visual language can carry both clarity and ambiguity.
I was raised in an environment that encouraged me to think critically, reflect deeply, and build meaning from within—approaching ideas with curiosity and patience rather than rushing to conclusions. Moving to New York introduced an entirely different rhythm: fast-paced, competitive, and intellectually rigorous. That contrast didn't erase what I had learned—it sharpened it. It made everything feel even more essential, not just for artmaking but for how I navigate the world.
What drew you to painting as your primary medium, and how has your approach evolved over the years?
I was drawn to painting because it felt like the most direct and accessible way to express myself. I began by working from references and focused on constructing images, believing that was the essence of painting. But over time, I began to question that need for representation and turned inward, exploring intuition and internal landscapes.
To a point, I realized I was still operating within a hidden logic—still trying to control and explain. Now, my approach is less about constructing an image and more about allowing the process to unfold. I try to empty myself of intention and let the marks document time, experience, presence, and energy.
02020314, acrylic, flashe and tape on canvas, 68x72 in, 2024 © Sharon Yaoxi He
12100126, acrylic on canvas, 66x72 in, 2024 © Sharon Yaoxi He
Your work explores the fluidity of space and time through layered compositions and shifting perspectives, as you mention in your statement. How do you approach the process of building these layers in your paintings?
My approach to layering space and time in painting is intuitive and accumulative. I don't plan compositions in advance—instead, I build them slowly, letting each layer respond to the previous one. I often think of the canvas as a space where perspectives and temporalities can coexist, shift, or even contradict one another.
My working pace is deliberately inconsistent. I take frequent breaks—not just physically, but mentally—to refresh my eyes and reset my perception. Sometimes I need distance to return with clarity. I might spend hours intensely focused on a small area, then leave the painting for days or weeks. Ultimately, the layers in my work aren't just visual—they're traces of different mental states, durations, and shifting perceptions.
How does Kant's philosophy, especially his ideas about space and time as subjective constructs, influence your creative process?
Kant's idea that space and time are not external realities but subjective forms of perception deeply influences how I think about painting. It changed my understanding of representation—I no longer see space or time as fixed frameworks I have to depict, but as experiences that can be constructed and reimagined through painting.
This perspective frees me from the need to follow a linear perspective or narrative time. In my work, space isn't about physical coordinates, but about how the eye and mind move; time isn't chronological but layered and fluid. Painting becomes a way to make internal, subjective experiences visible—where multiple perspectives and temporalities coexist. I see the canvas as a site where perception is tested and reorganized rather than confirmed.
Can you walk us through your typical process of starting a new painting? Do you begin with a specific concept or let your work evolve intuitively?
I don't usually begin with a fixed concept or image in mind. The painting gradually reveals its own structure, guided by instinct, attention, and time. My process is largely intuitive—I start by making marks or laying down colour, then respond to what begins to take shape. It's a conversation between me and the painting that unfolds over time.
I think I'm pretty sensitive to rhythm, balance, and colour. Even though I work intuitively, I pay close attention to how elements interact, especially how one colour affects another. I take breaks often—sometimes for hours, sometimes for days—to refresh my eyes and re-enter the work with a new perspective. That inconsistency in pace gives the painting room to breathe and allows me to see things I might miss if I pushed too quickly.
Swinging, acrylic and marker on canvas, 36x48 in, 2023 © Sharon Yaoxi He
You also reference ancient Chinese landscape painting as an influence. How do you see this tradition interacting with your contemporary practice?
Ancient Chinese landscape painting deeply inspires me, especially in how it constructs space as something that unfolds gradually, inviting the viewer on a journey rather than presenting a single fixed scene. This approach treats space as temporal and layered, with multiple perspectives that reflect an evolving experience.
I translate that multi-perspective logic into a visual language that resonates with contemporary ideas about perception and time. Rather than replicating traditional forms, I use their principles to challenge the fixed, linear perspective. Instead, I embrace a more dynamic, psychological conception of space.
This blending allows me to create paintings that operate as cognitive and emotional environments. The space in my work isn't just physical; it's a lived, perceptual experience that shifts and changes as the viewer engages with it.
Colour plays an active role in your work. How do you choose your colour palette, and what does colour mean to you in the context of painting?
For me, colour is the fundamental driving force behind every painting. I focus intensely on relationships between colours, and when I centre my attention there, everything else follows. Movement, rhythm, and composition arise from how colours interact—not from a preconceived plan.
When I try to force a composition or control the painting too consciously, it often feels rigid or artificial. However, by prioritizing colour, the painting develops more organically, with space and form unfolding through the emotional and visual tension between hues.
Colour becomes both the structure and the emotional core of my work. It's the language I use to communicate psychological and atmospheric experiences without relying on literal imagery or fixed perspectives.
03150411, acrylic and flashe on canvas, 68x72 in, 2024 © Sharon Yaoxi He
PARADOX, Acrylic on canvas, 66x74 in, 2023 © Sharon Yaoxi He
Looking ahead, how do you see your artistic practice evolving—are there new mediums or concepts you'd like to experiment with further?
I want to slow down even more—both in pace and in thought. I want to let my thinking become more open-ended and reflective. I've realized that painting is not just a visual act—it's philosophical, psychological, and even spiritual in many ways.
I also want to spend more time reading and reflecting outside the studio. I believe the depth of thought and input directly affects the depth of the work, even if it's not immediately visible. I'm less interested in expanding into new mediums right now and more focused on deepening my relationship with painting—thinking harder, slowing down, and letting new questions and ideas surface naturally through the work.
Lastly, are there any upcoming exhibitions, residencies, or collaborations you'd like to share with us?
Yes! I'm excited to share that I have a duo exhibition coming up at the Thomas Erben Gallery in NYC in late June. For this show, my new paintings are entering new territory—both visually and conceptually. They reflect a kind of letting go.There are no rules, no references, and no external images guiding the work. Everything is constructed from within—psychologically, emotionally, and perceptually. This direction feels riskier and more vulnerable but also more honest.
Artist’s Talk
Al-Tiba9 Interviews is a promotional platform for artists to articulate their vision and engage them with our diverse readership through a published art dialogue. The artists are interviewed by Mohamed Benhadj, the founder & curator of Al-Tiba9, to highlight their artistic careers and introduce them to the international contemporary art scene across our vast network of museums, galleries, art professionals, art dealers, collectors, and art lovers across the globe.
