Working primarily in oil and watercolor, Paris-based artist and illustrator Li Xia (also known as 绿 李 Lilou Oh Yeah) explores ephemeral moments and commonplace objects in daily life, expressed through carefully composed planes of flat colors and nuanced strokes. Both representational and imaginary spaces come alive in Li’s work, with her sensitive attention to the ordinary and the fleeting.

Li has a habit of jotting down notes - appointment dates and locations, grocery shopping lists, a note to an acquaintance - on a post-it, a page torn from a notebook or on the back of a receipt. “I started to draw these little notes that appeared in my life. They are like proof of my existence. I draw my own or other people's handwriting, scribbled or serious handwriting.”

The painting represents a small note written in French by Li’s friend; “Bonne Nuit” means “Good Night.” One busy work night, she found this sweetly written note on her desk. She wanted to hold onto this moment and this note for eternity. It was written on a tiny piece of paper, only about 5 cm (2 inches), smaller than the palm of her hand. In the painting, the note was enlarged 20 times, and the thin piece of paper was reproduced through the application and layer of thick paint. Li wishes to enlarge, immortalize, and share with her viewers the love of a friend.