About — Leyla Cui

LEYLA CUI

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About

Leyla Cui (2002) is an award-winning illustrator, artist, and writer based in New York City. Currently studying illustration at the School of Visual Arts, she has quickly established herself in the city's art scene with her evocative work, which explores the intricate relationships between human memories, identities, and femininity in contemporary society through a surrealist lens. At the young age of 17, she began her artistic career by publishing a poetry collection, I Was Meant to Meet You While Wandering, with Beijing Arts and Crafts Publishing House, China, featuring nearly 200 poems alongside her original oil paintings and illustrations.
Her notable exhibitions include Holding Hands at Space Gallery, Shanghai (2019); Metamorphosis (Solo Exhibition) with Hongtang Culture Communication, Shanghai (2021); Resonance at Barney Gallery, New York University (2023); A Happy Beginning at LATITUDE Gallery, NYC (2023); Genesis: A New Generation of Chinese Artists at Chambers Fine Art Gallery, NY (2023); The Imaginary Made Real at Berry Campbell Gallery, Chelsea, NYC (2024); her solo exhibition Between Dreamscapes at Temple Gallery (2024); Desire-Body Without Organs at Space Gallery (2024); and Beyond Boundaries at Artsinsquare (2024).
Leyla's achievements also include the New Talent Merit Award at the 2023 Junale Global Illustration Competition, publication in Suboart Magazine (2024) and Artsinsquare Magazine (2024), and her selection as one of 15 artists for the NYC Subway Public Art Initiative, Visionary Projects (December 2024), where her artwork will be displayed across subway station dioramas citywide. Additionally, her work has been featured in Divide Magazine, Issue 12.

^{Education:

2022-2023 Studio Art (BFA) at New York University

2023-2026 illustration (BA) at the School of the Visual Arts, expected to graduate in 2026

Awards and Publications:

2024

Booooooom Illustration Awards} Selected as one of the 200 finalist winners among over 7,000 participants

2024 NYC Subway Public Art Initiative, Visionary Projects

Selected as one of 15 artists from hundreds to display artwork across NYC subway station dioramas

2024 Art To Heart Project

Chosen winner for 101 Art Book: Portrait Edition

Emerging Woman Artsist Award shortlist winner

2024 Divide Magazine

Selected artist with an interview on the creative process

2024 ArtsinSquare Magazine

Chosen winner for Issue 7 publication among global artists

2024 Suboart Magazine

Chosen winner from 400 global artists, November Issue

2023 iJungle Global Illustration Competition

New Talent Merit Award

2020 Individual Poetry Collection, I Am Meant to Meet You While Wandering

Published by Beijing Arts and Crafts Publishing House, China

Selected Exhibitions:

2025 January - Feburary, Switchboard, SVA Chelsea Gallery, New York City

2024 December, Desire-Body Without Organs, A Space Gallery, New York City

2024 November-December, Betweemn Dreamscapes, Temple Gallery, New York City

2024 November-December, Beyond Boudaries, Artsinsquare, Virtual Exhibition

2024 June-August, The Imaginary Made Real, Berry Campbell Gallery, Chelsea, New York City

2023 July-August, A Happy Beginning, LATITUDE Gallery, New York City

2023 July-Aug, Genesis: A New Generation of Chinese Artists, Chambers Fine Art Gallery, Salt Point, NY

2023 February, Resonance, Barney Gallery with New York University, New York

2021 May-June, Metamorphosis, HongTang Culture Communication Gallery, Shanghai, China

2019 September-October, Holding hands, The Space Gallery, Shanghai, China

Published Individual Poetry Collection, 2020

Translated Selections, Postcard Edition

@leyla_c_art

chinamileyla@gmail.com