Yangzi Xu

Michigan Ave, Oil Painting

2022

Artist Comments
As the evening falls, Michigan Avenue in Chicago bustles with activity as pedestrians stroll down the sidewalk. The iconic lampposts of The Magnificent Mile cast a warm, inviting glow along the street, while buildings on either side feature softly illuminated windows in the dusk. The artwork vividly captures the lively urban atmosphere, using a dynamic blend of light and shadow to evoke depth and movement.

About the Artist
Artist Yangzi Xu captures a nostalgia for Chicago and its dramatic seasonal changes in her expressionist cityscapes. Having a full-time job and being a wife and mother, Yangzi makes a habit of painting everyday to keep her passion exciting and fresh. She keeps a queue of ideas and reference photos that she takes throughout the year. She looks through her references, tweaks and adds elements to them. Once inspiration strikes, Yangzi draws several sketches and begins to work with oils on canvas on multiple pieces at once - to keep each painting spontaneous and new. "I try to capture the paradox of life in the city, where one can be in a crowd and yet feel alone," Yangzi says. "My main intent is not to capture the physical reality of a scene, but to express my own moods and feelings to my audience." In her free time, Yangzi enjoys reading, with her current favorite genres being biographies and memoirs. Yangzi is an alumnus of DePaul University in Chicago.

Words that describe this painting: Chicago, downtown, city, urban, cityscape, evening, night, street light, street, road, vehicle, building, road, bus, pedestrian, car, reflection, crowd, architecture, impressionism, travel, oil painting, grey

Michigan Ave
Yangzi Xu
Oil painting on composite board
Ready to frame
One-of-a-kind
Signed on front
2022
14 in. h x 11 in. w x .4 in. d
1 lbs. 0 oz.