A-Lei

Born in 1976 in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. He graduated from the National Taiwan University of Arts with a degree in traditional Chinese painting. He uses the distinctive alias "A-Lei," referring to himself as an "observer." The name "A-Lei" comes from the Japanese word "あれ" (are), meaning "that." As an observer, he experiences everything happening around him in life. A-Lei excels at capturing these fleeting yet omnipresent moments of life as points of inspiration, developing his own universe of imagery through personal feelings and boundless imagination.

What makes A-Lei's work unique is its strong "expressiveness" in terms of form and emotion. This power stems from two sources: first, his childhood passion for anime, robots, and toys, which imbues his works with distinct character independence and narrative depth. Secondly, he is influenced by the neurotic, oppressive, and oddly distorted perspectives found in the works of Austrian Expressionist painter Egon Schiele (1890-1918), which imbue the postures and emotions of his characters with tension. While seemingly contradictory, anime and Schiele serve as catalysts for his emotions.