Milk Was Blood Before It Was Milk by Lily Wei

Lily Wei is a London based artist of New Zealand and Chinese heritage, drawing inspiration from museums and second hand book stores. Her paintings celebrate the emotions of being a part of multiple diasporas while exploring movement, the human body, and conveying challenging themes such as repatriation, home and sexuality.

Lily studied Fine Art at both Camberwell and Chelsea College of Art. She recently completed her Master’s at the Royal College of Art, London.

This piece was born contemplating femininity, nurture, as well as care. I respond to the fact that human breast milk is made by taking nutrients from the blood, fat and proteins of the mother. I felt fascinated by the concept of how seemingly innocent, wholesome things can come from sinister and dark origins. Similar to the previous painting, this piece was also influenced in appearance by the many Tang San Cai horses I have found in museums such as The British Museum.