Xiangni Song

School of Visual Arts

Memory, 2019
oil on canvas, 30 x 24 inches

Tell us about the work that you have submitted.
The painting is oil on canvas and painted last year. This is the first painting that I have ever painted. It is my father holding our cat in the old house that we lived in for years in China. The original house was taken down by the owner in 2018. I got the inspiration from a Polaroid photo I took before I left China. There are huge changes in our life. The relationship between my father and me has been strained for a while. However, I always remember the good times that I spent with my family in that old house. Those good things which happened to me in that house will always be part of who I am.

What motivated you to apply to the AXA Art Prize?
I was motivated by the encouragement of my instructors and for the chance for more people to see my work. The AXA Art Prize is the first competition I participated in in New York. It is a great opportunity for me to gain more experience.

How do you approach your work?
The most important thing for me is to have good references. I collect the photo reference that I need with great help from my parents, and then I draw several versions of sketches. After getting suggestions from both my instructors and my parents, I do some color studies. Some problems don't emerge until after I start the painting, and sometimes, I need to stop for a while to determine how I can finish this painting.

Instagram: @xiangnisong