Lucong (b. 1978, Shanghai, China) immigrated to the United States at the age of 11 and graduated from the University of Iowa with degrees in Biology and Art in 2000. After moving to Denver, Lucong turned his focus to oil painting, specifically portraiture, which had been a passion since his youth. "I draw mostly people; portraits have a spell over me, they speak to me in ways that I cannot recount, they bring me closer to fulfilling that indescribable craving."
His subjects are often young females with large eyes and direct gaze. The faces are delicate and detailed with fine lines and muted brushstrokes. When clothing is included, it is often graphic and bold with color or pattern. His backgrounds vary from bright, single pigments or abstracted patterns to detailed, graphic designs, incorporating the figures yet also keeping them slightly separate. For Lucong, "As my life and my art progresses, I have come to cherish and kindle that familiar sentiment I have always felt since I was a boy; it is the longing for something that can never be fully obtained, but only vaguely hinted in the portraits that I try to make."
Lucong's paintings have been featured in galleries, art fairs, and museum exhibitions across the United States.