Sarah Tse: The Rooted and the Rootless

EVENT DESCRIPTION

In Sarah Tse’s solo exhibition The Rooted and the Rootless, the artist presents a vibrant and immersive collection of plant and animal paintings created during her nomadic journey in the last 2 years. Her ultimate studio has no walls, instead it has beaches, vast savannahs and forest floors blanketed in botany and fungi. Sarah’s practice is an act of translating the ephemeral moments of the natural world into enduring, powerful statements on canvas. Her dynamic mixed media technique—building layers of texture and color—serves to capture the raw energy of her subjects.

Her profound connection to fauna is evident in a selection of compelling pieces. Born from life sketches made in the forests and safaris, these works move beyond mere representation to convey the visceral energy, nuanced interactions, and rich chromatic landscapes of wildlife.

The exhibition’s core, however, is a masterful ode to the botanical world. Sarah finds plants endlessly captivating, noting how they share fundamental needs yet express themselves with profound individuality. The veins of a green leaf are like the brushstrokes of nature; each texture is a lifeline in the palm of life, revealing the mystery of vitality on a canvas of layered shades of green. Through a masterful command of color theory and composition, Sarah elevates her floral subjects, celebrating their intricate forms and resilient beauty. This collection is a testament to her skill in transforming observed reality into a passionate, vivid tapestry of life.

ABOUT THE ARTIST / ORGANISER

Sarah Tse is a nomadic mixed media artist whose works are based on her travels, nature, human emotions, and the notion of beauty and power. After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Art at Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design in London in 2009, Sarah has begun travelling full time. In the past, she has lived and painted in New York, and then moved to Shanghai to open a brunch cafe ‘FOMO’ in Xintiandi, to explore her artistic sense in the culinary world. Sarah has participated in over a hundred exhibitions and art fairs in New York, London, Tokyo, Shanghai, Beijing, Seoul, Singapore, Taipei and Hong Kong. Sarah’s artworks are in the permanent collection at the V&A Museum in London and The Ingram Collection at the Lightbox in the UK.