American artist paints self into images of life abroad

Augustina Droze's solo exhibition Resplendent Rebirth kicked off on the first floor of the Waldorf Astoria Beijing on Tuesday.

Born in the United States in 1981, Droze combines her personal experiences with animal and plant symbolism to create richly colored work that integrates Chinese and Western elements.

The artist has lived in Beijing for nine years, and includes images of herself and of otherworldly landscapes in her paintings, which resemble modern mythological stories.

Droze believes that exploring other cultures leads to more interesting discoveries, so she has incorporated her years of living abroad into her work, using representations of Chinese zodiac animals and porcelain as expressions of her experiences.

"Although there are many differences between Chinese and Western art, we prefer to seek common ground rather than dwell on differences. The ultimate pursuit of humanity is happiness and beauty, and thus art should express the same," said curator Joyce Wan.

The exhibition will run till March 25.