Artist Biography

Justine Bui is a Chinese-Vietnamese artist who focuses on colourism in Asian communities. She is a graduate from the University of Calgary and a multidisciplinary artist who uses photography, sculpture, and installation to raise awareness about how colourism still exists within our present-day society.

Evolving from the PURE 2022 Award, Justine then showcased her honours thesis project at the Nickle Galleries in April 2023. Justine’s recent installation at Contemporary Calgary in January 2024 took each installation and progressed it further to showcase the layers of impacts that colourism imposes on one’s body.

These contemporary artworks counteract the historical notions of skin lightening that impacts each generation. Colourism research is utilized within artwork, mobilizing knowledge about the physical, mental, and social effects from the products and practices. Through this creative practice, Justine strives to change the outlook of how Asian individuals view and value their own skin colour.