Chunxiao Qu is a Melbourne-based artist born in China. Her interdisciplinary practice spans sculpture, installation, neon, painting, print-making, poetry and fashion. Humour, conceptual play and linguistic tension run throughout her work, as she explores themes of language, authorship, intimacy and identity.
Qu’s ongoing tribute series reinterprets iconic conceptual artworks, shifting their meanings through irony, affection and structural critique. Her practice is grounded in contrast and contradiction—where sincerity meets satire, and philosophy is dressed in playful forms.
She holds a First-Class Honours degree in Fine Art from Monash University and is currently a studio artist at Gertrude Contemporary (2024-2026). Selected recent solo exhibitions include
I am a Contemporary English Language Mother, Gertrude Glasshouse, Melbourne (2025);
Melbourne Art Fair with Futures Gallery, Melbourne (2025);
as tragedy / as farce, 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art, Sydney (2025);
Art is a washing machine that is washing itself, Futures, Melbourne (2023);
An artist doesn’t need a label, La Trobe Art Institute, Bendigo (2022–23);
COPY, 99% Gallery, Melbourne (2022); and
The title is no longer relevant, Trocadero Projects, Melbourne (2021). Group exhibitions include
Direct, Directed, Directly, Samstag Museum of Art, Adelaide (2025);
Hair Pieces, Heide Museum of Modern Art, Melbourne (2024); and
Everything That Is Outside Of Us, Palazzo Vai, Prato, Italy (2017).
She has published two poetry collections:
This poetry book is too good to have a name &
Logic Poetry (Discipline, 2022) and
Popcorn, Porn of Poetry (no more poetry, 2021).
She is represented by Futures, Naarm/Melbourne.